Gopal Sharma
JAMMU, Sept 18: A bandh call given by Jammu Chamber of Commerce and Industry and NPP evoked partial response in the winter capital city here today while public transport plied normally on most of the routes today.
The Jammu Chamber of Commerce and Industry, an apex body of traders had called for a strike in Jammu today, to press for its various demands including abolition of Toll Tax at Lakhanpur being charged by the State Government even after introduction of GST regime, deportation of Rohingya Muslims from Jammu, declaring State holiday on the birthday of Maharaja Hari Singh besides some other Jammu development related issues. The NPP was also fully supporting the bandh call and its leaders appealed to the people of Jammu to join the strike in large number.
While in old Jammu city, majority of the shops in various markets including, Kachi Chawani, Purani Mandi, Link Road, Pacca Danga, Jain Bazaar, Old Hospital Road, City Chowk, Kanak Mandi, Raghunath Bazaar, Rajinder Bazaar, Shalamar Road, Residency Road etc were closed. In Bus Stand area besides some parts of Jammu South and Western localities, the bandh remained partial.
In many areas the activists of JCCI and NPP were seen forcibly closing the shops and disrupting movement of vehicles. About half a dozen vehicles were damaged in Shalamar and Jewel Chowk areas by some youth and members of trade body, forcing mini-bus and auto-rikshaw operators to suspend their operation in view of bandh call.
Some Congress activists also joined bandh and held protest demonstrations at a few places. At Kunjwani Chowk some Congress activists supported by local youth held protest demonstration and disrupted movement of vehicles on the highway for about an hour. The movement of vehicular traffic was however, restored after some time with the intervention of Gangyal Police. In Canal Road, Bohri, Talab Tillo and Residency Road areas, some youth held brief protests and raised anti-BJP slogans.
Though mini-buses/ Matadors, autorikshaws were plying on various city routes but their number was thin today in view of some impact of strike. The buses, Tempo travelers and Sumos on various routes like Jammu-Kathua, Jammu-Udhampur, Katra, RS Pura, Chhamb, Rajouri, Poonch, Doda, Srinagar besides some other routes were seen plying normally.
While, Udhampur town observed near total bandh, the Chamber strike had no impact in Samba, Vijaypur, Kathua, Katra, Akhnoor, Reasi and some other towns of the region. No major incident of violent protest was reported from any part of Jammu district, a senior Police officer said.
At Dogra Chowk, Jammu NPP, NPSU and Young Panthers activists held strong protest and shouted slogans against Government demanding declaration of State holiday on the birthday of Maharaja Hari Singh. They also demanded deportation of Rohingyas from Jammu and bring an end to discrimination against Jammu region. The activists also burnt the effigy of State Government. They burnt tyres on the main chowk and disrupted movement of vehicles for about two hours. The police later intervened and ensured movement of vehicles.
Later, they also took out protest rally in the old city which passed through various markets. They were raising slogans in support of their demands and against Jammu Ministers and MLAs.
Party chairman Harshdev Singh, NPP president Balwant Singh Mankotia, Yash Pal Kundal Ex-MLA, NPSU president was Virender Singh and Youth leader Partap Singh Jamwal also addressed the gathering and strongly criticized BJP Ministers from Jammu for their failure to strongly project the issues of Jammu people. They alleged that these Ministers have become liability on the people of this region and they should be thrown out by the Party leadership in Delhi which has remained mute spectator so far. They alleged that on various issues of Jammu interests, these BJP leaders stood exposed.
Jammu West Assembly Movement activists led by its leader Sunil Dimple also held protest in New Plot area and burnt effigy of the State Government during bandh. They later took out protest rally in Janipur, New Plot and Sarwal areas and also disrupted movement of vehicles for some time. They were demanding deportation of Rohingyas from Jammu, end of discrimination against Jammu region, abolish of Toll Tax at Lakhanpur etc. They also raised anti-Pak slogans for ceasefire violations along IB and LoC.
Meanwhile, Jammu Chamber of Commerce and Industry led by Rakesh Gupta, has expressed satisfaction over the ‘overwhelming’ voluntary response of traders in Jammu who observed bandh on the call given by JCCI in support of their pending demands. The Chamber president claimed that nobody was forced to close the shops and it remained peaceful throughout. Moreover, they did not enforce `Chakka Jam’ because of requests from many organizations as it would cause inconvenience to the public. He said the main issues which were projected by the Chamber pertained to interests of traders and people of Jammu and with this many who did not support Jammu cause, stood exposed.
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