Punjab bandh over Sikh prisoners’ release cripples transport, shuts markets across state

CHANDIGARH: Protesters led by Qaumi Insaaf Morcha leader Gurcharan Singh parked vehicles on the road outside Patiala's main bus stand on Friday, blocking traffic on both sides and severely affecting bus services to Bathinda, Ferozepur, Faridkot and other parts of Punjab during.

Key points

• The Morcha is additionally seeking the release of Balwant Singh Rajoana, convicted in the same 1995 assassination, and Devinderpal Singh Bhullar, jailed over a 1993 Delhi bomb blast.
• Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has already met Punjab Governor Gulab Chand Kataria to backing a 10 day parole for Hawara to visit his ailing mother.
• The public face has largely been Gurcharan Singh, father of Jagtar Singh Hawara, along with leaders Dilsher Singh and Balwinder Singh.
• Tarsem Singh, father of Khadoor Sahib MP Amritpal Singh, and former Jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh are additionally among its key organisers.
• Protesters staged dharnas in Jalandhar, Ludhiana's Ladhowal, Hoshiarpur and Ferozepur to express their anguish over the non release of Sikh prisoners.

While traffic movement was severely hit on highways at plenty of places during the bandh, causing disruptions throughout the state, shops, markets, commercial establishments and private schools remained totally shut.

Normal life was disrupted in Punjab, with shops and commercial establishments remaining fully closed in most urban and rural areas, including major cities such as Patiala, Jalandhar, Amritsar, Ferozepur, Ludhiana, Mohali and Sangrur.

Protesters staged dharnas in Jalandhar, Ludhiana's Ladhowal, Hoshiarpur and Ferozepur to express their anguish over the non release of Sikh prisoners. They additionally took out marches on two wheelers in cities.

For context, the Patiala bus stand is one of the city's major transportation hubs, and its blockade had a direct impact on traffic. Buses coming out of the bus stand were additionally ceased, resulting in long queues of vehicles and stranded passengers.

Notably, the bandh's impact was visible in Amritsar, where a number of markets and commercial establishments remained closed, and bus services were affected.

Meanwhile, the Amritsar bus stand witnessed considerably less activity than usual. Some long-distance buses had left the depot early in the morning, but passenger movement remained low afterwards in the day.

While administration offices and schools remained open, the bandh additionally affected Faridkot, where private schools and shops remained closed.

While administration offices remained open, a Sikh leader remarked private schools and shopkeepers fully backed the bandh. He remarked protesters had ceased a administration bus and sent it back to the bus stand.

In Bathinda, the bandh received a solid response, with bus services completely suspended and markets remaining closed. While a sizeable police force was deployed in the area, sikh organisations held a peaceful demonstration outside the bus stand.

Meanwhile, the bandh's impact was additionally visible in Muktsar, where shops in a number of markets remained closed.

For context, the morcha, which has gathered backing from a number of religious, social, farmer and employees' organisations and Sikh political parties, decided to lay siege to highways and railway tracks and shut down commercial establishments throughout the state from 7 am to 2 pm.

Tension at Chandigarh-Mohali border as police stop Sikh groups' march, bandh on August 21 Commuters, including office goers and travellers, bore the brunt of the bandh call as they obtained caught up in road blockades by supporters of the Qaumi Insaaf Morcha and various farmers' bodies at a number of places.

At some places, road users were seen requesting the protesters to allow them to proceed towards their destinations as tractor trolleys and other vehicles were parked in the middle of roads, including state and national highways, by the agitators.

Meanwhile, the only relief was that essential services such as medical emergencies, travel to airports, examinations and wedding ceremonies were allowed, the Morcha leaders remarked.

Private schools remained shut on Friday as the Federation of Private Schools confirmed a holiday after the bandh call.

Chandigarh Police personnel, including the Rapid Action Force (RAF), were deployed along the barricades put up at the Mohali-Chandigarh border points.

As did farmer groups including the Bharti Kisan Union (Rajewal), the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), the Shiromani Akali Dal (Punar Surjit General) and Shiromani Akali Dal Waris Punjab De extended backing. Kisan Mazdoor Morcha leader Sarwan Singh Pandher additionally backed the call.

At the centre of the protest is a demand for parole for Jagtar Singh Hawara, serving a life sentence for the 1995 assassination of then Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh.

For context, the Morcha is additionally seeking the release of Balwant Singh Rajoana, convicted in the same 1995 assassination, and Devinderpal Singh Bhullar, jailed over a 1993 Delhi bomb blast.

In practice, the Qaumi Insaaf Morcha (QIM) is a Sikh advocacy platform that has been holding a continuous sit-in at Sector 52 53 in Chandigarh and adjoining YPS Chowk in Mohali for more than three and a half years.

It brings together families of jailed Sikh prisoners, Nihang groups, panthic organisations and farm bodies. Its protest site additionally runs a community kitchen for those staying there.

For context, the public face has largely been Gurcharan Singh, father of Jagtar Singh Hawara, along with leaders Dilsher Singh and Balwinder Singh. This person have addressed press conferences on its behalf.

Taken together, the developments around punjab bandh over Sikh prisoners' release cripples transport, shuts markets across state point to a situation that is still moving, and the coming days should bring more clarity.