RAIL ROKO

Farmers stop train at New Cooch Behar

COOCH BEHAR, Nov. 27: The Rail Roko movement sponsored by Aloo-Pat-Dhan Chashi Sangram Committee (APDCSC) passed off peacefully at New Cooch Behar Railway Station today. The running of Sealdah bound Tista-Torsa Express was disrupted for about 45-minute due to the agitation. The farmers' main demand was waiving of agricultural loans taken by farmers.

 

According to their scheduled programme the APDCSC activists gathered at New Cooch Behar Railway Station premises this noon. There was additional security arrangement at the station premises today following last night's Mumbai explosions. But, it did not affect the farmers' programme. They halted the New Alipurduar-Sealdah Tista-Torsa Express for about 45-minute. The plying of trains became normal after lifting of the blockade.

 

On the occasion of the APDCSC's movement its secretary Mr Nripen Karjee, ex-MP Mr Deben Barman, Mr Ajit Saha, Md Abdar Ali, Mr Rabi Barman and Md Abdus Sattar spoke at the gathering that was held at the station premises.

 

Mr Karjee alleged that smuggling of large quantity of fertilisers from Cooch Behar district to Bangladesh became a regular practice. The authorities concerned are not interested in taking action against the corrupt practice of the dishonest traders.

 

The secretary of the APDCSC, Mr Karjee alleged that when the indebted cultivators were suffering from artificial crisis of fertilisers and price hike of essential commodities, the branch managers of some banks are luring and even coercing the poor borrowing farmers to take up life insurance policies of different companies. Taking away of Rs 2000 to Rs 3000 from the indebted farmers in the name of life insurance premium is nothing but inhuman, illegal and economic offence, he said. He hinted that they might take legal action against the offending branch managers on behalf of the unwilling farmers.

 

When asked to comment over the demands and allegations raised by the APDCSC, the district magistrate of Cooch Behar Mr Rajesh Kumar Sinha said they would talk with the banks concerned over the matter. He however made no comment over the Rail Roko movement of the farmers.