Gopal Sharma
—Excelsior/Rakesh
JAMMU, Apr 24: Amidst strong protests and burning of effigies of the BJP-PDP Government against the decision to shift AIIMS to Kashmir valley from Jammu, a complete successful bandh was observed in Jammu by various trade, transport, social, political and students organizations today.
The bandh call was given by the Jammu Chambers of Commerce and Industry and was supported by all the transport bodies, High Court Bar Association, various political, social and trade organisations of Jammu. All type of transport vehicles remained off the roads, with private transport unions extending support to the strike. It was also supported by Congress, National Panthers Party, Provincial unit of National Conference and NCP.
The passengers and especially the Mata Vaishnodevi pilgrims had to face the tough time in view of strike of the transporters as it became difficult for them to reach their destinations. The passengers coming to Jammu on various trains also faced difficulties as they were unable to find vehicles/ taxies for the city ride. No mini-buses, taxies, auto-rikshaws or buses besides other vehicles were found plying on the roads. Not only on National Highway or the city roads, even on the inter-district roads there was no movement of vehicles at all.
Shops and other business establishments besides most of the educational institutions remained closed in the city today. The attendance in many offices was also thin. The youth organizations and students came out for protests on the roads in large numbers at various places and chowks and burnt the effigies of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Mufti Mohd Sayeed and BJP-PDP Government. The protesters were visibly full of anger against the BJP led Government at the Centre and the Cabinet Ministers from Jammu region who failed to protect the interests of the people from the region. They were shouting loud slogans against them.
Most of the Executive Committee members of Jammu Chamber of Commerce and Industry led by its president Rakesh Gupta, vice president Sham Lal Langar, secretary general Arun Gupta, Chairman All J&K Motor Transport Companies Association T S Wazir and other members riding on an open vehicle were seen roaming in the entire city areas with loud speakers issuing appeal to Jammu people to get united and come out on the roads for the common cause to get back AIIMS for Jammu. They also burnt the effigy of Government at Dogra Chowk and City Chowk.
Congress activists led by former Ministers, Raman Bhalla and Sham Lal Sharma were also moving across the city in open vehicles making Jammu bandh a grand success. Carrying loud speakers on the vehicles, they appealed the people to get united and come out on the roads for their common cause. They condemned the role of Jammu Ministers from BJP who remained mute spectators on the issue of shifting AIIMS from Jammu to Srinagar. Mr Bhalla asked the people of Jammu to get ready for long struggle and said that Jammu will be able to get back its AIIMS already announced by the Union Government.
A large number of Youth Congress workers led by PYC president Pranav Shagotra and NSUI Virender Singh were also seen moving in various parts of the city holding protests and burning effigy of the Mufti Government and the Prime Minister. They also raised slogans against DyCM, Dr Nirmal Singh and other BJP Ministers from Jammu for their criminal silence. At Dogra Chowk, police resorted to mild lathi-charge on the Youth Congress workers when they were moving towards Tawi bridge.
National Conference activists led by senior leaders Chander Mohan Sharma, Vijay Lochan, Dharamvir Singh Jamwal (Ex-Dy Mayor) and other youth wing leaders of the party also held protest at several places in Jammu city. They were demanding setting up of AIIMs in Jammu. Some NC leaders were also seen moving in the vehicles along with Congress leaders Raman Bhalla and Sham Lal Sharma and others across the city.
National Panthers Party led by Harsh Dev Singh (ex-minister), Balwant Singh Mankotia (Ex-MLA) and other leaders also held protests and burnt the effigies of the Government at different places in the city. Mounting on `Bhim Rath’ they shouted slogans against BJP led regime in Delhi and BJP leadership in Jammu for maintaining criminal silence against the anti-Jammu decision. The Young Panther activists led by Gagan Partap Singh were also seen moving in vehicles and issuing appeal to the people to join bandh and protests.
Harsh Dev termed the Jammu BJP leadership as anti-Jammu and said that their true colours stood exposed. The people of Jammu have now realized the truth that they were only shedding crocodile tears in the past for Jammu people. Mr Singh appealed the people of Jammu to get ready for long agitation. He also cautioned the Government to roll back on new recruitment policy or get ready to face the consequences.
No incident of violent protest has been reported from any part of the region. A senior official said that the situation continued to be normal as the bandh evoked total response in Jammu. He said in few towns, bandh was partial but no public transport plied on the roads in the entire region.
Dogra Front, Shiv Sena, Shiv Sena Hindustan, Jammu Development Council, VHP, Bajrang Dal, S D Sabha, NDP and various Sikh bodies participated in the protests and joined Jammu bandh.
Reports from Kathua said that traders, students, Congress and NPP activists held protests near DC office and Main Chowk in the town and burnt the effigy of Government. DCC president Kathua, Subash Gupta and senior leader Naresh Sharma were leading the protest at Shahidi Chowk in Kathua. A complete bandh was observed in the town and no vehicles plied on the road.
Similar protests were held at Samba, Bishnah, RS Pura, Vijaypur, Udhampur, Reasi, Ramnagar, Poonch, Akhnoor and other parts of the region.
In Udhampur, NPP and Congress activists also held protests and burnt effigies of the Government at Dabbar Chowk and Slathia Chowk. They were shouting slogans against BJP-led Government at the Centre and the PDP.
In Poonch city, about 300 people led by Rajinder Singh advocate, many Congress workers and others held protest at main Chowk near Bus Stand and shouted slogans against Mufti Government. Reports of protests also poured in from various other small and major towns of the region. Though at some places, bandh evoked mixed response yet public transport was completely off the road in the region.
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