Shimla, July 3
Almost all shops and commercial establishments in the town remained closed in response to the bandh call given by the BJP and the VHP.

Only the chemist shops were seen open as the markets bore a deserted look. However, banks and other financial institutions functioned normally.

Though traffic was not disrupted, people faced inconvenience as supply of essential commodities, including milk and bread, was hit. Activists of the BJP, the VHP, the Bajrang Dal and the ABVP ensured that all shops remained closed. They marched through the town holding flags and forced shopkeepers to pull down the shutters.

Earlier, BJP and VHP leaders addressed a rally at Naaz and took out a procession through the town. Among those who participated in the rally were: State BJP chief Jai Ram Thakur, state BJP organisation secretary Mahender Pandey and local MLA Suresh Bhardwaj.

National secretary of the BJP Kiran Rijiju also addressed the gathering. Speakers demanded that the Jammu and Kashmir Government must revert its decision of not giving land to the Amarnath shrine board. He said the land had been sought only to set up temporary facilities for the pilgrims.

SOLAN: The VHP’s call for bandh evoked mixed response in Solan, Baddi, Parwanoo, Arki, Kasauli and Kunihaar areas. A procession was taken out on the Mall Road here by activists of the VHP and the Bajrang Dal. They later staged a dharna outside the DC office. Similar processions were also taken out at Parwanoo, Baddi, Nalagarh, Arki etc.

The protesters raised slogans against the decision of the Jammu and Kashmir Government and termed the decision as anti-secular. The roads wore a deserted look at most of the places till afternoon as the shops remained closed. The chemist shops, however, functioned normally.

MANDI: Most of the traders, shopkeepers and dhaba owners downed their shutters in support of the bandh call given by the VHP, the BJP and the Bajrang Dal. However, no untoward incident was reported from the Mandi region.

A spokesperson for the Sangh Parivar claimed the bandh was complete. The VHP said the Congress-led UPA government in the state had lost the “moral mandate” to govern. As such, the President should dismiss the government and impose President’s Rule there.

NAHAN: A complete bandh was observed in the Sirmaur district on Thursday. However, the situation remained peaceful. Shops and business establishments in Nahan, Paonta, Sarahan, Dhaulan Kuan, Majra, Dadahu, Rajgarh and Shillai remained closed. There was some tension in Paonta town in the morning as some persons tried to get some shops closed forcibly. No road blockade, no untoward incident was reported from the anywhere in the district. A procession was taken out by BJP, VHP and Bajrang Dal workers in Paonta town. The protesters were raising slogans against the J&K Government.

HAMIRPUR: Two-hour bandh was observed in Hamirpur town and its surrounding areas on a call given by the VHP and the BJP in protest against the withdrawal of proposal to transfer land to the Amarnath shrine board by the Jammu and Kashmir Government. Those supporting the bandh held a rally at Gandhi Chowk and castigated the Congress government for reportedly withdrawing the transfer of land to the Amarnath shrine board to appease the Muslim community.

DHARAMSALA: There was mixed response to the bandh call given by the VHP and the ABVP against the decision of the J&K Government to deny land to Amarnath Shrine Board. While most of the shops in all main markets of Dharamsala remained closed, the offices and other business establishments continued their normal operations.

The traffic also remained normal in the entire district with no untoward incident being reported. Various groups affiliated with the ruling party, the VHP and the ABVP burned effigies of the J&K Government to register their protest.

KULLU: The bandh in Kullu, Manali and Bhuntar towns of this district today was peaceful. The markets of the small villages around these towns remained closed today. Ram Singh, president, district BJP alleged that the J&K Government had put a blot on the basic structure of secularism of our democracy. He said the government had been spending crores of rupees on Haj pilgrims and Hindus have been supporting the Muslims. However, the attitude of the Azad government had shown for cancelling the allotment of land for Amarnath shrine, which would not be tolerated. He demanded that Azad should resign. No untoward happening was reported from any corner of the district, however, the tourists faced hardships due to the bandh in Kullu and Manali.

Shimla, July 3
Chief Minister P.K. Dhumal today said having peace and stability in the Himalayan region was a must for ensuring India’s security for which Tibet’s autonomy was a prerequisite.

Speaking at a function to mark the 94th anniversary of the historic Shimla Convention signed on this day in 1914, he said it is only after India wholeheartedly supports the Tibetan cause that the international community will raise its voice in support of human rights violations inside Tibet.

Dhumal said India is till date paying a heavy price for Jawaharlal Nehru’s misjudgement with regard to Chinese intentions on the two issues of Tibet and Jammu and Kashmir. “It is because of these two wrong decisions that people were suffering and precious lives being lost,” he said.

The Chief Minister said peace inside Tibet was a sure guarantee for India’s security. “Protecting the Himalayas from security point of view as well as saving it from environmental degradation was important for India,” he asserted. He said had India supported the Tibetan cause, way back in 1950’s the scenario could have been totally different today.

He lauded the efforts of the Trans Himalayan Parliamentarians Forum and the Himalayan for organising the function to mark the 94th year of the signing of the historical Shimla Convention. “What the Indian government should be doing to extend their support to the Tibetan cause, is being done by NGO’s and organisations like yours,” he said.

He also lashed out at the UPA regime and the Jammu and Kashmir Government and the government for cancelling the land lease given to the Amarnath Shrine Board. Kiran Rijiju, national secretary of the BJP and MP from Arunachal Pradesh, said the drawing of the McMahon line demarcating the boundaries between India, China and Tibet was a historical fact and Chinese claim on Arunachal Pradesh was totally wrong.

Speaker of the Tibetan parliament-in-exile, Karma Choepel, deputy speaker, Gyari Dolma, Tsona Rimpoche, former minister and Congress MLA from Arunachal Pradesh, chairman of the HP Board of School Education addressed the gathering. They all spoke about the historical relevance of the McMahon line and lashed out at China for not accepting it.

Participants from Ladakh, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Kinnaur and Lahaul-Spiti attended the function. Convener of Himalaya Parivar, Mallika Nadda, welcomed the delegates.

Solan, July 3
Terming the land acquisition undertaken by the Himachal Pradesh Urban Development Authority (HIMUDA) at Kalujhinda and Dasora Majra executed by the previous Congress government as inimical to the interest of the common man the villagers have demanded an independent inquiry into the matter.

In a letter written to Chief Minister P.K. Dhumal, the villagers of Kalujhinda and Shera villages have stated that the manner in which the land acquisition had been undertaken smelt a major scam.

The villagers have pointed out that their irrigated land was acquired forcibly leading to the poor becoming landless. On the other hand barren land of some people, who are close relatives of a former Congress minister, was acquired in lieu of providing them fertile land at prime location. The villagers allege that all this was done at the behest of senior Congress ministers and the field staff of the Revenue Department facilitated such deals.

As an illustration to their allegations the villagers pointed out the case of acquisition of 600 bighas of land at Dasora Majra by the HIMUDA. They alleged that since this land had been bought by a Delhi based businessman its acquisition was cancelled and another piece of land was selected for acquisition. With a view to ensure that the businessman’s land was not acquired a former Congress minister not only visited Baddi on the day of this land acquisition but also inspected the site in question.

The villagers said the manner in which the land acquisition had been going on at Baddi smacked of connivance between the revenue officials and politicians of the ruling Congress. They have demanded an independent inquiry into the issue.

Chatri (Mandi), July 3
Chief Minister P.K. Dhumal has directed the police to investigate into an alleged “case of sacrilege” involving Karamjit Singh, an Amritdhari Sikh, at his place of work at Chatri in the district in a “fair and impartial manner”. He has assured Karamjit of his safety and freedom to run his shop at Chatri.

The accused in the case, Prem Kumar and Pramod Kumar, and complainant Karamjit Singh met the Chief Minister today. SAD(A) jathedars, Kulwant Singh and Harchand Singh, Chatri up-pradhan Sher Singh, some villagers and policemen from Gohar were also present in the meeting.

SAD(A) president Simranajit Singh Mann had sent a letter to the CM through the jathedars. He had said in the letter that “high caste people of Chatri and the police were pressuring Karamjit Singh to withdraw his case against the accused. He had alleged that the police had not taken any action against the culprits despite an FIR being lodged at the Gohar police station on April 19.

After a meeting at Chatri yesterday, Kulwant Singh had said: “The Chatri panchayat has assured us of our safety. We are happy that people are cooperative here. The controversy has come to an end and I have started working at Chatri as usual.”

He had earlier alleged that the accused had assaulted him, abused his wife and hurt his religious feelings on April 6. “We had to flee Chatri as we felt insecure,” he said.

Prem and Pramod pleaded their innocence and said they did not intend to hurt his religious feelings. They have urged the entire Sikh community not to take it otherwise.

Chatri up-pardhan Sher Singh and other residents assured Karamjit of his safety. “Nobody really knows whether his charges are true or not, as there was no witness to the incident,” villagers said.

Mandi SP M. Chander Sekhar said, “The police will investigate the allegations under Sections 147, 325 and 295 of the IPC and ensure his safety. Earlier, he had fled from Chatri and the police had no clue to his whereabouts.” 

Shimla, July 3
The National Backward Classes Commission held a public hearing regarding various requests received by it from the state government here today.

The commission consisting of Justice S. Ratnavel Pandian, chairman , Dr. Subha Somu, Ram Awadesh Singh and Abdul Ali Azizi, all members, held detailed discussions on the cases for various communities, including Jaat, Jat, Batehda, Badhai, Ramgarhia, Dhiman, populace living in Malana village of Kullu district and Choharka in the Chohar valley of Mandi district for inclusion in central list of other backward classes for the state.

Justice S.Ratnavel Pandian said cases of some communities of the state who were socially, economically and educationally backward sections of society would be considered for inclusion in the OBC category. 

Nurpur, July 3
Irate villagers and cooking gas consumers from Sadwan, Thana and Mehraka gram panchayats today stopped vehicle carrying LPG cylinders at Sadwan Chowk near here and blocked traffic for about one hour in protest against the irregular supply of cooking gas in their area for the past three months.

Hundreds of passengers suffered as vehicles remained stranded on Sadwan-Chamba and Sadwan-Suliali link road due to traffic jam.

On getting information the local SDM sent police on the spot. In order to pacify the irate villagers the police called in charge of the cooking gas agency being run by the state civil supplies corporation on the spot. Parshotam Rana, in charge, assured the villagers that they would get regular supply in future on every Tuesday. The villagers lifted traffic jam after getting assurance from the authorities concerned.

Dharamsala, July 3
The Department of Weights and Measures has challaned and imposed fine on 21 traders across the district for duping consumers. Kangra deputy director, Weights and Measures, K.L. Dogra, told The Tribune that prosecuted shopkeepers include nine from Palampur, five from Dehra and seven from Kangra. A fine of Rs 2,500 was imposed on a sweet shop owner for weighing sweets along with the card box. Seven sweet shop owners were caught involving in similar practice and challan has been filed against them.

Shimla, July 3
The residents of the panchayats of Gander, Alampur, Sakoh and Bairghatta in Thural subdivision in Kangra have been facing acute problems following power cuts for more than 12 hours a day for the past one month.

The power cuts have resulted in the water supply and telephone services being severely affected. Despite the residents having taken up the matter with the Electricity Department so far no steps have been taken to provide regular power supply.

The functioning of the telephone exchanges at Gander, Alampur and Bairghatta had also got affected due to long power cuts.