Chandigarh: A day long Punjab bandh call given by the Hindu organisations on Friday to protest against the Amarnath Yatra attack in Jammu and Kashmir on Monday went off peacefully just like another normal day.
It was reported by the media that people kept their respective businesses closed for hardly 2 hours at some places and altogether the call turned out to be a flop show. No untoward incident was reported from the state during this time.
At few places, the protesting Hindu mob reportedly raised slogan against Pakistan and terrorism and said that the bandh was called by various Hindu organisations, including the Shiv Sena, Shiv Sena (Hindustan) and the Shiv Sena (Bal Thackeray), in protest against the killing of seven Amarnath pilgrims on July 10 in Anantnag district of Jammu and Kashmir.
Phagwara city saw a considerable effect of the band as most of the shops were close there and vehicles were off the road. The protesters took out the rally from Hanumangarhi temple complex and marched through the streets of the city.
A huge police force was deployed in the city to maintain peace.
As a precautionary measure, authorities diverted ‘Sada-eSarhad’ buses plying between Delhi and Lahore, Phagwara superintendent of police PS Bhandal said, while interacting with the media.
While the bus bound for Delhi from Lahore took the KartarpurSubhanpur-Kapurthala-Nurmahal-Phillaur route, the Lahorebound bus took the PhillaurNurmahal-NakodarKapurthala-Kartarpur route, he adds.
Furthermore, in the Industrial city of Ludhiana there was a cold response to the bandh call. Except Chaura Bazaar and its adjoining markets in the old city, all other markets, local transport, factories and banks functioned normally, media reports said.
Scores of activists of various Hindu organisations took out a procession and raised slogans against Pakistan in Ludhiana, the police reportedly said.
Moga remained partially bandh, with all commercial establishments, banks and educational institutions remained closed, police said.
A heavy police force was deployed at all government installations in Moga.
On the other hand Pathankot remained largely opened and unfazed over the bandh call as the markets remained open in the town. The Shiv Sena leaders however assembled in the post office chowk,raised slogans against Pakistan, lit peace candles and dispersed without forcing anyone to shut down their shops.
Whereas, the only place where complete bandh was observed is Batala. The protesters gathered at Qila Mandi from where they carried a protest march and later held a dharna at Gandhi Chowk. Condemning the incident, the Shiv sena leaders urged the J&K government to ensure safety of the Amarnath Yatra pilgrims and strict action against the accused, reads a quote from a report published in an English vernacular.
Even Gurudaspur gave a mixed response to the bandh call of Hindu organisations, as all the main markets of the city remained completely closely whereas the shops and other business complexes situated in the outer parts were found functioning normally.