Chandigarh, September 26
The nationwide bandh called by the VHP in protest against terrorist attack on a temple in Gujarat today evoked a mixed response in Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh.
No major untoward incident was reported in these three states.
However, the bandh hit life in Jammu city and some villages of Kathua and Udhampur districts in the Jammu region.
SHIMLA: The bandh was almost complete in Shimla, Bilaspur, Rampur, Solan and other towns. However, there was little impact of the bandh in smaller towns like Rohru, Chopal, Kumarsein, Jhakri, Kotkhai, Jubbal and Theog.
JAMMU:
A peaceful bandh was observed in several towns of the Jammu region today called in protest against the terrorist attack on a temple in Gandhi Nagar, Gujarat.
The call for the bandh was given by the VHP, the Bajrang Dal, the Shiv Sena, the Central Brahmin Sabha, the Sanatan Dharm and the Hindu Raksha Samiti.
Most of the shops remained closed in Jammu, Kathua and Udhampur and passenger transport services were hit by the bandh. Only private vehicles plied on the roads. Protesters staged demonstration at several places between Jammu and Bari Brahmna.
Activists of the Shiv Sena and the Bajrang Dal staged a demonstration in the city chowk area where they set ablaze Pakistani flags.
The government had ordered the closure of all educational institutions in the region as a precautionary measure. Attendance in government offices was thin as transport services were off the road.
CHAMBA:
A partial bandh was observed here on Thursday. A deputation of the local Beopar Mandal later submitted a memorandum to the Centre and the state governments through the local administration seeking to check terrorism.
Reports of bandh in Dalhousie, Banikhet, Bharmour, Salooni and Tissa were also received at the district headquarters.
FATEHABAD:
The bandh call evoked good response here on Thursday. Shops on the local Thana road, the DSP road and Jawahar Chowk remained closed. In some other markets like the Hans Market and the G.T. Road, shopkeepers downed their shutters whenever volunteers of the organisations that had given the bandh call approached them. But the bandh remained partial in these areas. Flow of vehicular traffic was as usual. Agitators later held a condolence meeting to
pay tributes to those killed by terrorists in the Akhshardham Mandir in Gujarat.DHURI:
A near-total bandh was observed here. A large number of Bajrang Dal activists took out a protest march. They also held a rally at the local Triveni Chowk.
City roads wore a deserted look. Most of the private educational institutions remained closed. Government offices and institutions, however, remained open.
HAMIRPUR:
Majority of shops and other commercial establishments remained closed in the district. Activists of the VHP took out a procession through main bazar.
KULU:
The bandh was complete here. Markets of Kulu, Manali, Bhuntar, Patlikuhal remained closed. VHP leaders urged the people to maintain harmony.
KARNAL: A partial bandh was observed here on Thursday on a call given by the VHP. While main bazars of the city, including the Karan Gate, Sarafa Bazar, Kunjpura Road and Railway Road, remained completely closed, in some other areas like the Sabzi Mandi, Industrial Area, Hansi Chowk and Ram Nagar, business establishments remained open. Banks, schools and colleges functioned normally. The administration had deployed strong contingents of the police near the tomb of Qualandar Shah where some Muslim families live and other strategic points in the city.
According to a UNI report, two RSS activists were injured when they got involved in a scuffle while allegedly intimidating local shopkeepers to down their shutters in Karnal.
The injured included Pankaj Bharti and Mukesh, who were admitted to the civil hospital.
KAPURTHALA:
The town observed a complete bandh. All shops and commercial establishments remained closed.
Meanwhile, members of the District Bar Association also abstained from courts.
ROPAR:
In the local main Phul Chakra Bazar the bandh was near total, while in other parts of the town and markets it evoked a partial response in the morning session.
PATHANKOT:
A partial bandh was observed in response to the call given by the VHP. Activists of the local Shiv Sena unit prevented the Gujjars from supplying milk in the town. On resistance by some Gujjars the protesters spilled their milk on the road.
Activists of the Shiv Sena pelted stones on the trucks coming from Jammu and Kashmir and broke wind screens of some trucks and tempos.
Work in the local courts was also paralysed. Bandh was also observed in Gurdaspur, Dinanagar, Sujanpur and adjoining areas.
HOSHIARPUR:
Shopkeepers observed a complete bandh here. All business establishments except bank branches remained closed. Activists of the Sangh Parivar led by Mr Tikshan Sud, MLA, Mr Satpal Sareen, President Municipal Council, took out a procession in main bazars.
AMRITSAR:
A complete bandh was observed in the city. Shopkeepers downed their shutters while wholesale markets, offices and many of the factories and educational institutions were closed.
KANGRA:
Bandh was observed in some towns of the district.
Shops and business establishments remained closed in Nagrota Bagwan, Dehra, Jawali, Dango Peer, Damtal, Thakurdawara, Nurpur and Jassure areas of this district. Shops and business establishments were also closed in Palampur after 2 p.m. Students of the Government Degree College, Nurpur, held a rally.
However, the bandh call evoked no response in Kangra town.
JALANDHAR:
The bandh call given by the VHP evoked mixed response in the city even as some of the VHP and Shiv Sena activists burnt the effigy of Pakistani President General Pervez Musharraf at Noharrian Chowk here.
At least 70 per cent of commercial establishments were closed in the city, while educational institutions, banks, hospitals and transport sector were functioning as usual.
Some Shiv Sena, RSS and VHP workers were seen requesting shopkeepers to down their shutters.
PATIALA:
A near-total bandh was observed in the walled city even as some establishments on the outskirts of the town opened their shutters in the afternoon.
Traders downed their shutters in the walled city with all prominent markets, including the Adalat Bazar, A.C. Market, Dharampura Bazar and Sheranwala Gate market remaining closed. In other parts of the city, including Railway Crossing Number 22 and Tripuri township, the bandh was observed in the morning but later some shopkeepers opened their shops.
Punjabi University Vice-Chancellor Swaran Singh Boparai alongwith Deans and heads of the university observed a two-minute silence.
SIRSA:
The bandh call given by the local Haryana Pradesh Vyapar Mandal and the VHP evoked good response. Most of the shops and commercial houses were closed. Some of the schools were also closed.
The Vyapar Mandal also organised a public meeting.
KHARAR:
Advocates of the local court observed a strike and held a meeting in the court complex. They also observed a two minutes’ silence.
MANDI:
A complete bandh was observed in the district in response to a call given by the BJP and the VHP.
All shops and business centres here and in the sub-divisional towns of Jogindernagar, Sarkaghat, Sundernagar, Gohar and Karsog were closed.
BHIWANI:
Bandh was partial in the district. Shops and other establishments remained closed till noon in Bhiwani, Charkhi Dadri, Tosham, Loharu and Siwani.
KURUKSHETRA:
VHP and RSS activists burnt the Pakistani flag and an effigy of General Pervez Musharraf at the Moti Chowk here.
They also took out a procession. A signature campaign was launched which demanded that India should attack Pakistan to destroy terrorism. The town observed a complete bandh.
PHILLAUR:
A complete bandh was observed in Goraya in the sub-division. Shops and other commercial establishments remained closed. However, road and rail traffic was not affected.
The bandh call evoked no response in Phillaur, as all shops were open.
UNA:
There was hardly any response to the Bharat bandh call in the district. Dhabas, vegetable shops and medicine shops remained open and rest of the shops were closed. According to reports, there was no response to the bandh call at Lathiana, Bangana, Gagret, Daulatpur Chowk, Amb, Panjabar and Mehatpur. However, partial bandh was observed in Santoshgarh and Chintpurni.
Long route buses were almost empty carrying very few passengers while local routes buses too had very few passengers.
NAHAN:
All business establishments, remained closed in Nahan, Paonta Sahib, Dadahu, Rajgarh and Majra. Protest rallies were held in different towns.
YAMUNANAGAR:
A complete bandh was observed here and in Jagadhri on a call given by different organisations in protest against the killing of devotees in Gujarat.
People also took out a procession.
