Attempts at a rail row failed after farmers were detained in Mysuru

Hundreds of farmers reached the city’s railway station in the afternoon to demonstrate against train roko and blocked trains, but their entry was restricted to the circulation area where commuters and commuters disembark before entering the platform. | Photo credit: Sriram Ma

On 18 December, an attempt by farmers to stop a train in Mysuru was foiled by the police and detained.

The farmers were led by Kurubur Shantakumar, president of the State Sugarcane Farmers Association. The proposed train was stopped to show solidarity with the farmers movement in Delhi led by Jagjitsinh Dhalewal.

Hundreds of farmers reached the city’s railway station in the afternoon to demonstrate against train roko and blocked trains, but their entry was restricted to the circulation area where commuters and commuters disembark before entering the platform. A fight broke out between the police and Kurubur Shantakumar under the leadership of ACP Aswath Narayan. The farmers questioned the police action of not allowing them to enter the railway station and demanded an explanation, but they were put under pressure and bundled into a van and taken into custody.

Farmers divided into different groups to protect the police. Some farmers under the leadership of Attahalli Devraj were sitting on the railway track near the bamboo market, but the police reached the spot and chased them away.

Railway sources said that there was no delay in the arrival or departure of any train due to the efforts of the rail row.

Kurubur Shantakumar said that the agitation of the farmers is legitimate as they are trying to draw the government’s attention to their long-pending demand to legislate for procurement of crops at the statutory Minimum Support Price (MSP). Farmers also want the government to implement the recommendations of the Dr Swaminathan Committee report on MSP, and are also demanding pension for those who reach the age of 60 in the organized sector.

“The Center is aware of the demands of the farmers. “Crocodile tears have been shed so far instead of finding a solution through dialogue,” said Mr. Shantakumar. “The agitation has been going on for 23 days in Delhi and the Center has not listened to the farmers,” he added.

Calling the central government ‘anti-farmer’, the farmers raised loud slogans and condemned the ‘high hand’ of the police for thwarting their plan to stop the train and detaining them.

In a statement, Mr Shanthakumar said the Center was least concerned about the plight of farmers or the crisis affecting the agriculture sector. “Industrialists like Adani and Ambani are satisfied if they prosper,” he added. BJP MPs questioned their silence on farmers’ issue. The farmers have warned that if they do not address their demands to the party leadership by becoming silent spectators in the Parliament, they will protest against the MPs in the coming days.

The farmer was released after three hours. Among other leaders who participated in the movement, P. Somasekhar, K. Shankar, Bardnapura Nagaraj, Neelakantappa, Pradeep and Siddesh.