Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh – in an attempt to convince the centre to restart goods train movement in the state – has written to BJP President JP Nadda, warning of “critical shortages… to soldiers in Ladakh and Kashmir amid aggressive moves by China and Pakistan”.
The Chief Minister cautioned Mr Nadda that soldiers in such remote regions may be affected once winter starts as they “could run out of supplies and other goods once snowfall blocks the roads”.
Mr Singh also referred to critical losses to the economies of both country and state and hit out at what he called “frivolous and baseless allegations” that his government had colluded with “naxal forces” – a reference to the protesting farmers made by some BJP leaders.
“These (the impact on soldiers) are dangers that neither the centre nor any party, including the BJP, can ignore. If armed forces are deprived of critical supplies, amid increasingly aggressive overtures by China and Pakistan, the situation could become extremely dangerous,” Mr Singh wrote.
“Every day goods trains continue to be suspended means critical losses to industries and agriculture. The onus lies on all of us… we need to work together to solve this contentious issue in the interest of the country,” Mr Singh added in his letter today.
Amarinder Singh also urged Mr Nadda to take note of statements by Tarun Chugh, the BJP’s National General Secretary, and Ashwani Sharma, Punjab BJP President, who had referred to the protesting farmers as “naxals”.
“Indians look up to our farmers as ‘annadatta (those who give food)’. By comparing their agitation to “naxalism” these BJP leaders have humiliated every Indian,” the Chief Minister said.
In September the Railways suspended movement of goods trains after farmers launched an indefinite “rail roko” to protest against the three controversial farm bills passed by the centre.
Last week around 30 protesting farmers unions lifted the blockade after the Punjab government passed three bills to counter the centre’s laws. Goods trains movement briefly restarted but was then suspended once again, with the Railways citing “uncertainty and safety of train operations”.
On Thursday the Railways confirmed that operations remained suspended till further notice. Mr Singh described this backtracking as “trust deficit of the centre viz-a-viz farmers of Punjab”.
The Chief Minister, earlier this week, also reached out to Railways Minister Piyush Goyal, making similar appeals and issuing similar warnings.
