Farmers’ groups in the state are gearing up for a four-hour rail blockade on February 18, in support of the nationwide call to press for repeal of the three contentious farm laws.

Jharkhand Rajya Kisan Sangharsh Samanway Samiti (JRKSSS), a joint union of different farmers groups on Wednesday said that a decision in this regard was taken in a joint meeting among different stakeholders on Tuesday.

Sufal Mahato, convenor of the umbrella union said that they have also appealed to all non-NDA constituents to join the movement.

"We have decided to hit on the tracks with full force on February 18 to block rail movements from 12 noon to 4 pm. Besides farmers, workers, daily wagers and people from all such depressed and marginalised sections will be part of the rail protest," he told The Telegraph Online.

Mahato added that the protest is to press for rollback of the controversial farm legislations, law on minimum support price (MSP) and the revival of shoddy procurement process at government mandis.

"The situation of paddy procurement process in Jharkhand and elsewhere in the state is still such that it favours middlemen more than the real farmers. Legitimate farmers aren't even able to register themselves for the procurement process. On the contrary, middlemen have managed to enrol bribing officials to buy food grains at throwaway prices from farmers and sell them at exorbitant prices in open markets or at procurement centres," he said, adding that there are several such cases from his village in Tamar (Ranchi).

"We demand the government to set up procurement centres at panchayat levels," he said.

Notably, the Jharkhand Rajya Kisan Sangharsh Samanway Samiti, which is a conglomeration of Left-backed farmers’ organisations and other independent groups, on February 13 held its first mahapanchayat in Rahe block on Ranchi outskirts. It now plans to hold a series of such mahapanchayats across the state in coming weeks.

"It's high time that farmers across the country are mobilised and united to take on the anti-farm policies of the government," he said.