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Gohana backlash in more Punjab cities Jalandhar, September 3 Though a comparative huge police presence today might have acted a deterrent against hooliganism to a limited extent but inaction by police personnel only encouraged armed youngsters who were seen threatening shopkeepers to keep their establishments closed at some places. The police parties were accompanied by private videographers, who, captured incidents of hooliganism in an effort by the police to collect evidence against trouble-makers. Had the police accomplished its job in a more professional manner and with a stern hand, there would not have been any fear-psychosis among residents, particularly among shopkeepers who were forced to keep their shutters down on the second day today. Only a few shopowners in the Model Town locality dared to open their shops for some time but that too after asking their employees to stand guard and inform if any mob was proceeding towards the area. Generally people remained indoors as they feared large scale violence. Amidst tension rumour mills kept working overtime and canards were spread that some shops in Basti Bawa Khel and the BSNL telephone exchange in Master Tara Singh Nagar had been torched. Meanwhile, leaders of various organisations, including, Kundan Lal Sidhu, Mohan Lal Jakhmi, Hans Raj Gill, Asha Rani, Babu Ram Sangar, Sohan Lal Sidhu, Gopal Kishan Khosla, Bharat Ratan Sondhi, Ramesh Garewal, Buta Ram Ghai and Rajinder Atwal handed over a memorandum to the ADC, Mr Mohinder Singh Kainth, and demanded action against those responsible for the Gohana incident. Protests were also organised in the Basti area of the city. Business establishments in Jalandhar cantonment, however, remained open. Amritsar: Activists of Bhartiya Balmik Dharam Samaj today burnt an effigy of Mr Bhupinder Singh Hooda, Chief Minister, Haryana in protest against the Gohana incident where some persons burned Dalits houses. The agitators, led by Mr Veer Nand Lal Randhawa, started a protest march from Balmik Mandir near Hathi gate, which culminated at the Hall gate. They burned an effigy of Haryana CM and raised slogans against the Haryana Government and the Gohana administration. Mr Randhawa demanded a CBI inquiry. He said Balmiki Samaj would support bandh call on September 5. Hoshiarpur: Activists of Bahujan Samaj Morcha, led by Mr Onkar Singh Jhamat, president of the district unit, held a rally at Kamalpur Chowk and Prabhat Chowk here today to protest against the torching of a large number of houses of Balmik community in Balmik colony in Gohana (Haryana) on Wednesday after the murder of a Jat youth. They raised slogans against the Congress governments in Punjab and Haryana and were demanding stern action against the culprits. Later, they presented a memorandum to the President of India through Sub Divisional Magistrate (Civil), Hoshiarpur, in which they demanded rehabilitation and compensation to all the victims of this incident. Mr Tikshan Sud, MLA (BJP), and other BJP leaders condemned the incident. PATIALA: The police resorted to a mild lathicharge to disperse members of the Scheduled Caste community who took out a march in the city today and damaged a bus belonging to Haryana and some shops when their owners refused to shut them down. Hundreds of people protested against the Gohana incident where more than 50 houses belonging to the Dalits were burnt. Though Mr Kaustab Sharma, SP (City), said the lathicharge was carried out when protesters tried to damage a shop. Mr Mukesh Hans, president of the Safai Majdoor Federation, and Mr Naresh Bobby, president of the Valmiki Pargat Utsav Committee, alleged that a Dalit boy had suffered serious injuries in the lathicharge. Though the SC organisations had given a call for Patiala bandh, it did not get a good response in major parts of the city. The protesters, however, managed to succeed in forcing a section of shopkeepers to down the shutters. MALERKOTLA: A driver and passengers of a Haryana Roadways, Hisar-Karta-bound bus today had a narrow escape when some miscreants tried to gherao the bus here at Jarag Chowk, Ludhiana road and pelted stones at the bus. The demonstrators were protesting against the Gohana incident. Mr Rachpal Singh, DSP Malerkotla, said a mob tried to stop the bus at Jarag Chowk but the driver of the bus managed to take away the bus. There was no news of any injury to any person. He aid since the demonstrators and attackers escaped no one was arrested. He said the police did not registered any case.  |
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