Avtar Bhat
JAMMU, Oct 10: A near total bandh was observed in Jammu district and other areas of the region today on the call of Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party (JKNPP) supported by various religious and social organizations in protest against the hosting of beef party by MLA, Langate, Engineer Rashid in the premises of MLAs hostel in Srinagar on October 7 and sacrilegious act at Chenani in Udhampur district on October 8.
However, the bandh passed off peacefully as no untoward incident was reported from any part of the Jammu district as the people’s response to bandh call was spontaneous.
“The bandh remained totally peaceful in the district and there was no untoward incident reported in any part of Jammu,” SSP Jammu Uttam Chand said.
The authorities had made elaborate arrangements to deal with any untoward situation during the day-long bandh. The transport was almost off the roads while shopkeepers kept shutters of their business establishments down. However, the movement of private vehicles continued as routine.
Though the Chamber of Commerce and Industry had not extended its support to bandh call but the shopkeepers kept their business establishments closed on their own to protest against the act of MLA Langate.
“We have extended our support to the strike call as the issue is related to the religious sentiments of the Hindu community across the globe,” said Raman Kumar, a shopkeeper.
A number of educational institutions had already declared a holiday today in the wake of bandh call. Attendance in various offices remained thin due to non-availability of public transport.
The JKNPP activists led by Party chairman and former Minister, Harshdev Singh, Party president Balwant Singh Mankotia and Youth Panthers president Yashpaul Kundal took out a peaceful procession in the City against the hosting of beef Party by Engineer Rashid and sacrilegious act at Chenani. However, they were arrested at Kacchi Chawni and later released.
Talking to Excelsior Harshdev Singh strongly criticized the police action. “We have given bandh call for the protection of the cow and were arrested while Engineer Rashid who hosted the beef party and hurt the religious sentiments of the Hindus is moving scoot free”, he regretted
He said what type of Government is this that the two youth who hoisted the National Flag at Lal Chowk, Srinagar yesterday were arrested and those who are hoisting IS and Pak flags are moving freely. Accusing the coalition of its failure in taking on anti-national and pro Pak elements, Harshdev said JKNPP will take the fight to the people’s court.
He warned that the coalition will have to face serious consequences in case it failed to change its style of functioning. He also accused BJP of betraying the nationalist people of Jammu.
The JKNPP activists, supported by various other Hindu and social organizations also held protests at several places in the city during which they raised anti-Government slogans demanding immediate arrest of Rashid for holding the ‘beef party’.
They also demanded immediate identification and arrest of those who were allegedly involved in the sacrilegious acts in Udhampur district, where three carcasses of the animal were recovered on Thursday last.
They burnt the effigies of Engineer Rashid and the State Government for its alleged failure to strictly impose the law that prohibits the slaughter and sale of beef in J-K.
Three districts of Jammu region, including Udhampur, Kathua and Reasi had yesterday observed a complete bandh on the issue.
Total bandh was also observed in holy township of Katra, Chenani and Pouni today. The Chenani is observing complete shutdown for the last three days in protest against the sacrilegious act in the area.
However, the bandh call had no impact in Samba and Kathua districts where the life remained normal for the whole day.
It may be recalled that it is the eighth bandh against the coalition since it assumed office on March 1. First total bandh was observed in Jammu on May 27 during the visit of Union Home Minster Rajnath Singh who addressed a party rally at K K Resorts Bohri in support of separate AIIMS for Jammu. Later, 72 hours bandh was observed twice in the region in support of the same demand.
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