Farmers Serve Tea, Jalebis To Stranded Passengers, Officials, Cops During 'Rail Roko' Protest

In yet another gesture of extreme kindness, protesting farmers were seen distributing food items to stranded passengers, railway officials and police personnel during their 'rail roko' agitation on Thursday.

Farmers could be seen serving tea, distributing snacks and fruits across many railway stations in Haryana and Punjab. In Haryana's Bahadurgarh, farmers were seen distributing snacks and fruits while at state's Charkhi Dadri railway station, a woman farmer was seen distributing jalebis to protesters and officials.

ANI

Haryana: Farmers block train tracks at Charkhi Dadri railway station; serve jalebis, tea and ¡®pakore¡¯ (snacks) to protesters as well as railway officials and cops#RailRoko #FarmersProtest pic.twitter.com/ewOlWRYkor

¡ª NDTV (@ndtv) February 18, 2021

In Punjab's Ludhiana, a group of farmers served hot tea to passengers who were stranded due to train stoppage, cops and railway officials.

Farmers During #FarmersProtests
Bahadurgarh Railway station ? pic.twitter.com/oXkEuzokQO

¡ª Yogesh ?????? ? (@Y0geshtweets) February 18, 2021

'Rail roko' across states

As a sign of protest against the Centre's new farm laws, farmers gathered near rail tracks in parts of Punjab, Haryana Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra and Karnataka for the 'rail roko' protest. But soon, the protest spread to many states, including Bihar, J&K, Rajasthan and many other parts across the country,

The agitation, which started at noon, continued till 4 pm and was peaceful, the farmers have said. Farmers halted trains by squatting on railway tracks, some even blocked the the entire tracks, in a desperate attempt to make the government hear their pleas.

ANI

However, authorities had stopped train services in several areas across the country as a precautionary measure. Security had also been tightened in Punjab and Haryana, with the deployment of the government railway police and the state police.

Where farmers protest stands?

Over the last weeks, the farmers protesting at the Delhi borders have been heading out to states, saying it was part of their new strategy to take the protest across the country. The plan to spread the protest came as the deadlock over the farm laws persisted despite multiple rounds of talks with the government - neither ready to back down.

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The farmers have refused to accept the government's offer of a 18-month freeze on the three laws while negotiations continue. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said the proposal stands. The farmers contend that the farm laws will shrink their income by doing away with the minimum prices fixed by the government and leave them at the mercy of corporates.