FACT CHECK: Old pictures of farmers protest shared as Oct 18 `rail roko'
A 'rail roko' protest was organized on October 18 in 130 locations across northern India, especially Punjab and Haryana.
By Newsmeter Network Published on 20 Oct 2021 11:15 AM GMTHYDERABAD: A 'rail roko' protest was organized on October 18 in 130 locations across northern India, especially Punjab and Haryana. Farmers were demanding the dismissal and arrest of Union minister Ajay Mishra for his alleged involvement in the death of four people at Lakhimpur Kheri earlier this month.
(Source: The Hindu, Indian Express)
Amidst this, several pictures are circulating on social media. The pictures are shared with hashtag #ą¤ą¤_ą¤°ą„ą¤²_ą¤¬ą¤ą¤¦_ą¤¹ą„ and shows protesters holding flags and sitting on tractors and railway tracks.
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Farmers in "every district" will be out on railway tracks because no action being taken against Union Minister Ajay Mishra in Lakhimpur attack.@VP .@LiveLawIndia .@barandbench
ā Jazz š®š³šØš¦ š¾ąØąØ°ąØ® ąØąØæąØąØ²ą© (@Only_Mohabbat) October 18, 2021
#ą¤ą¤_ą¤°ą„ą¤²_ą¤¬ą¤ą¤¦_ą¤¹ą„ pic.twitter.com/VsQbwKa2YL
Rail Roko today: Farmers to stop rail traffic for 6 hours over Lakhimpur Kheri violence.#ą¤ą¤_ą¤°ą„ą¤²_ą¤¬ą¤ą¤¦_ą¤¹ą„ pic.twitter.com/KIR7gbaLjm
ā ššš„š°š¢š§ššš« ( ąØą©ąØąØ¾ ąØ²ąØæąØąØ¾ąØ°ą© )ā¢ (@Chhotalikharii) October 18, 2021
Farmers are stopping trains because modi govt failed to sack mos who threatened farmers... We support farmers Violent acts took place at Lakhimpur cannot be forgotten....#ą¤ą¤_ą¤°ą„ą¤²_ą¤¬ą¤ą¤¦_ą¤¹ą„ pic.twitter.com/eDdKwX4NpT
ā šš¾ąØØąØµąØ°ą©ąØŖ ąØą©ąØ°š¾š (@iamnavroopkaur) October 18, 2021
FACT CHECK:
The pictures are not linked to October 18 'rail roko' protest.
IMAGE 1:
The picture is from an October 2020 'rail roko' protest at Devi Dass Pura village in Ambala. The New Indian Express reported that the protest took place as local traders and rice millers were buying "paddy from UP and Bihar at Rs 900-Rs 1,100 per quintal, which is much below the minimum support price of Rs 1,888 at which they sell it to state agencies in Punjab."
IMAGE 2:
The picture is from a February 2021 'Rail Roko Andolan, at Shahpur in Ambala. According to 'The Hindu' and 'Deccan Herald', farmers blocked railway tracks as part of the nationwide protest, and around 25 trains were rescheduled in the northern zone due to farmers' protest against three farm laws.
IMAGE 3:
The picture is from March 2021 protest when people blocked passenger and goods trains between Amritsar and Beas. According to Indian Express, the rail blockade was called by the Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee and the picture was taken on the tracks near Amritsar's Jandiala station.
Clearly, the viral pictures are not from the October 18 'rail roko' protest. Old pictures of farmers' protests have been shared as Monday's demonstration.