The Crossbill News Desk
The Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee (KMSC) has announced a statewide Rail Roko protest on May 7 at Devidas Pura railway station in Amritsar district, situated on the crucial Amritsar–Delhi railway line. The protest is aimed at opposing what the group alleges is the illegal and forceful acquisition of farmland by the government without adequate compensation.
The call for agitation comes at a time when Punjab’s border districts, including Amritsar—which houses the sensitive Wagah border—are on high security alert. Authorities have begun conducting blackout mock drills in these areas amid heightened tensions.
KMSC leaders Sarwan Singh Pandher, Sukhwinder Singh Sabhra, and Rana Ranbir Singh made the announcement during a late-night meeting in Amritsar on Sunday.
They accused the Bhagwant Mann-led Punjab government of acting at the behest of the Centre to convert the state into a “police state,” where agricultural land is being seized for projects like Bharatmala and other infrastructure schemes without following due legal processes or offering just compensation to farmers.
“For three years now, we’ve been holding protests across Punjab. Farmers are being denied even their most basic rights. In many cases, compensation awards haven’t been issued, and yet officials are moving to acquire land by force,” said Pandher.
He cited recent events in villages like Saiduke in Amritsar district, where farmers reportedly reclaimed possession of land after heavy police deployment attempted to enforce takeover orders.
Pandher confirmed that the protest scheduled for May 7 is currently planned as a one-day action, but warned that its duration and scope would depend on the government's response.
The KMSC leadership acknowledged that the protest could cause inconvenience to commuters but insisted the stakes were too high to remain silent.
They appealed to both the state and central governments to urgently intervene, resolve the issue fairly, and prevent further disruption or escalation.
The call for agitation comes at a time when Punjab’s border districts, including Amritsar—which houses the sensitive Wagah border—are on high security alert. Authorities have begun conducting blackout mock drills in these areas amid heightened tensions.
KMSC leaders Sarwan Singh Pandher, Sukhwinder Singh Sabhra, and Rana Ranbir Singh made the announcement during a late-night meeting in Amritsar on Sunday.
They accused the Bhagwant Mann-led Punjab government of acting at the behest of the Centre to convert the state into a “police state,” where agricultural land is being seized for projects like Bharatmala and other infrastructure schemes without following due legal processes or offering just compensation to farmers.
“For three years now, we’ve been holding protests across Punjab. Farmers are being denied even their most basic rights. In many cases, compensation awards haven’t been issued, and yet officials are moving to acquire land by force,” said Pandher.
He cited recent events in villages like Saiduke in Amritsar district, where farmers reportedly reclaimed possession of land after heavy police deployment attempted to enforce takeover orders.
Pandher confirmed that the protest scheduled for May 7 is currently planned as a one-day action, but warned that its duration and scope would depend on the government's response.
The KMSC leadership acknowledged that the protest could cause inconvenience to commuters but insisted the stakes were too high to remain silent.
They appealed to both the state and central governments to urgently intervene, resolve the issue fairly, and prevent further disruption or escalation.
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