Punjab Farmers Announce Statewide Rail Roko on December 5 Over MSP and Electricity Demands

Farmers from Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM) have announced a rail blockade across Punjab on December 5 on railway tracks at 26 locations in 19 districts of the state. The duration of the protest is two hours, from 1 PM to 3 PM. KMM coordinator Sarwan Singh Pandher confirmed this information to PTC News and The Tribune. Pandher clarified that there will be no roadblocks; the action is strictly limited to railway tracks.

The protest is part of a wider campaign by the KMM against several policies and issues. Among their key demands is a legal guarantee of Minimum Support Price (MSP) for crops, which they argue is crucial to ensure stability for farmers. They also strongly oppose the draft Electricity Amendment Bill 2025, particularly the proposed installation of prepaid electricity meters in rural areas. The KMM demands a rollback of these smart-meter plans and a restoration of traditional meters, arguing that prepaid meters would burden rural households. Beyond power bills and MSP, the KMM accuses the state government of “forcible sale” of public assets, a claim they say highlights a broader neglect of farmers’ and labourers’ rights.

The planned disruption includes key railway points across districts such as Amritsar, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Patiala, Bathinda, and many more. They are raising the prospect of massive disruption to train services, at least during the two-hour blockade.

Leaders of the KMM have described the rail-roko as a symbolic and peaceful protest which is intended to draw the attention of both the Centre and the Punjab government to longstanding grievances. However, they have also warned that if these demands remain unaddressed, the agitation could escalate into a more prolonged campaign.

With the December 5 date approaching, the protest is expected to stir public debate around farmers’ rights, energy reforms, and the political future of agrarian policy in Punjab. The rail-roko, though brief, could become a significant flashpoint, especially if accompanying demands like MSP guarantees and power-sector reversals gain traction across the wider farming community.