Punjab shutdown against riots hits normal life (Roundup)
November 3rd, 2009 - 8:13 pm ICT by IANS
- Chandigarh/Amritsar, Nov 3 (IANS) Trains were stopped, road traffic was hit while schools and colleges were closed in many Punjab towns as radical groups called for a shutdown Tuesday to protest the denial of justice to families of the thousands killed in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots.
The strike, however, passed off peacefully, police officers said in Chandigarh.
The strike call was given by the Dal Khalsa and was supported by the Khalsa Action Committee (KAC), Damdami Taksal, Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (DSGPC), All India Sikh Students Federation (AISSF) and Shiromani Panthic Council.
“We have not got justice for Sikhs in the last 25 years. We want the deaf government in the centre to listen to our demands. We will ask the UN to intervene and seek justice for Sikhs,” Dal Khalsa leader Kanwarpal Singh said.
The KAC and AISSF later claimed that the strike was “complete” in Punjab and thanked people for it.
Dal Khalsa chief Harcharan Singh Dhami, AISSF President Karnail Singh Peer Mohammad and KAC chief Mohkam Singh said in a joint statement: “The strike has been supported by everyone in Punjab. People believe that 1984 was a Sikh genocide and Punjab people are together fighting against it.”
Dal Khalsa activists stopped trains at the Amritsar railway station Tuesday morning.
The Amritsar-New Delhi Shatabdi Express, Sachkhand Express, Dadar Express, Superfast Express and other trains were stopped. Scores of Dal Khalsa members squatted on the rail tracks.
The Shatabdi Express was later cancelled by railway authorities, leaving hundreds of passengers stranded. Some other trains were allowed to leave by railway authorities in the afternoon after the protestors melted away.
Shops in some areas of major cities, petrol pumps and a few banks also remained closed in the first half of the day. Schools in various cities were shut by the authorities. Bus services and other modes of public transport were also affected.
Police in Amritsar stopped about 50 Sikh youths on motorcycles brandishing kirpans (swords). They were intercepted near the Hall Gate and their kirpans were confiscated.
There was a minor clash between the two sides but the youths were allowed to leave.
Road and railway traffic was also affected near Rajpura town, 40 km from Chandigarh. Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal urged the protestors to be peaceful.
The strike had partial effect in the industrial and commercial city of Ludhiana. Protesters blocked one over-bridge in the heart of the city and shops remained closed in some areas.
Shops and other establishments were shut in parts of Moga, Sangrur and some other towns.
The Dal Khalsa criticised the the Shiromani Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC), the mini parliament of Sikhs, for keeping its offices open.
India’s prime minister Indira Gandhi was assassinated by her Sikh guards Oct 31, 1984. This led to widespread riots against Sikhs, leaving thousands dead and homeless.
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- Business
- - amritsar
- - anti sikh riots
- - dadar
- - dal khalsa
- - damdami taksal
- - dhami
- - dsgpc
- - half of the day
- - kac
- - mohkam singh
- - panthic
- - radical groups
- - railway authorities
- - railway station
- - shatabdi express
- - sikh genocide
- - sikh gurdwara
- - sikh students
- - sikhs
- - tuesday morning
Posted in Business, |
November 3rd, 2009 at 8:43 pm
Bandh remained peaceful as expected and requested-Thanks
Symbolic Bandh- Symbolic Protest On Nov 3 2009 Only In Punjab
So named religio-political radical groups should not to be allowed to harm anybody or damage the public property under the garb of the dramas i.e. bandhs, protests in Punjab
After everything covered up with help of the various so named religio-political radical groups, now, no hope left to get justice and The Indira Gandhi Legacy- Inner Truth i.e. “Mrs Gandhi increased socialist economic controls started by her father Jawaharlal Nehru, opened the doors to widespread corruption that leading politicians and bureaucrats now routinely practice day by day by, and sowed the seeds for both her own death and that of her son, Rajiv Gandhi, by encouraging a militant Sikh leader in Punjab and separatist Tamil activity in Sri Lanka. She also increased separatist sentiments in Kashmir” to be promoted silently by the same people who as sincere and obedient soldiers supported the legacy so far in order to ruin Sikhs again.
After 25 years, the same religio-political radical groups seem to be directed to resort to disrupt rail road taffic only in Punjab, must be symbolically by so-called various religio-political radical groups under the aegis of the Khalsa Action Committee, the Dal Khalsa has given a call for complete bandh on Nov 3 to mark the ‘Nov 1984 anti-Sikh Carnage’.
The Symbolic Punjab Bandh - Symbolic Protest on November 3, 2009 like holding seminars etc in the past experienced by the same radicals being said to be significant at the large scale (It seems to be sponsored by the Indian central agencies) as it has a full backing of Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee, Damdami Taksal, Akand Kirtani Jatha, Chief Khalsa Deevan, Sikh Youth of Punjab, Bhindrawale Federation, Shiromani Khalsa Panchayat, SAD (Amritsar) and various factions of Shiromani Akali Dal & Sikh Students Federation.
“Fight for justice to riot victims, now is just for symbolism as “I knew what I was doing. Taking on politicians and police officers was never going to be an easy task especially when both were involved. And considering the immense power they wielded, it made my job that much tougher,” says Phoolka………
“Most of the cases against politicians and police officers are over. They have already resulted in acquittals. Only four to five cases are left now like that of Congress leaders Sajjan Kumar and Jagdish Tytler,” he said……..””, said lawyer Harvinder Singh Phoolka.
The Sikh Vichar Manch understands the compulsions of the Indian agencies to celebrate such shameful occasions by lighting candles, bandhs, protests, conducting seminars etc symbolically for the promotion and the advantage of their men on one pretext or the other, but submits that they should not to be allowed to harm anybody or damage the public property under the garb of the dramas i.e. bandhs, protests in Punjab.