City comes to a halt as entry, exit points blocked

  • | Wednesday | 14th August, 2019

However, normal life was affected as all government offices, commercial establishments and petrol pumps remained shut. Various organisations of the Ravidas community had blocked the city’s entry and exist points. They sat on a dharna at Jalandhar Bypass, Samrala Chowk, Gill Chowk, Dhandari Kalan, Ferozepur Road, Sherpur Chowk, Metro Chowk, Ladhowal and Jodhewal Chowk where commuters were not allowed to pass. Protesters slapped him in the presence of the police. He added that the bandh remained by and large peaceful in the city.

BANDH BY RAVIDAS COMMUNITY Day-to-day life hit as govt offices, commercial units, petrol pumps remain shut Nikhil Bhardwaj Ludhiana, August 13 The bandh observed by the Ravidas community today against the demolition of a temple of saint Ravidas passed in a peaceful manner. No incident of violence or any clash was reported during the bandh. However, normal life was affected as all government offices, commercial establishments and petrol pumps remained shut. Even the police asked representatives of markets to shut their shops so that law and order situation remained normal. Police Commissioner Dr Sukhchain Singh Gill was seen on roads to oversee the situation. Various organisations of the Ravidas community had blocked the city’s entry and exist points. They sat on a dharna at Jalandhar Bypass, Samrala Chowk, Gill Chowk, Dhandari Kalan, Ferozepur Road, Sherpur Chowk, Metro Chowk, Ladhowal and Jodhewal Chowk where commuters were not allowed to pass. Commuters were an inconvenienced lot as they were stuck on road for hours. People who wanted to go Chandigarh, Khanna, Jalanhdar and Delhi could not leave the city as all exist points were closed. Congress leader Ramanjit Singh Lalli, who led the protest march at Clock Tower, said on the petition of the Delhi Development Authority, the Supreme Court ordered the demolition of 15th century Guru Ravidas temple in Tughlakabad. He added that this land was given by the then king Sikandar Lodhi to Ravidas community but the Delhi government deliberately went with the order to demolish the temple as property rates soared in that place. “We will hold protest march and sit in the city areas till 5 pm and if our demand to restore the temple is not met, we will then call a meeting of all organisations to decide the further course of action. If the government thinks we will sit back after this bandh, they are mistaken. We will not let this issue die until the temple of our Guru is not restored at the same place,” Lalli added. As per the Police Commissioner, about 3,000 policemen were deployed at strategic places and at dharna sites. It was a peaceful protest by the community. The Police Commissioner added that for precautionary measures, nakas would remain at strategic places to keep maintain law and order. Another Congress leader Lucky Sood said it was good that the bandh remained peaceful and now the President of India, Prime Minister and the Delhi government should find out a way to reconstruct the temple at the same place in Tughlakabad so that Ravidas community should not felt hurt. Petrol pumps closed Closure of petrol pumps and bus stands caused inconvenience to residents. Many people, who were unaware of the closure of pumps, were diaappointed to reach there and return. Several commuters were also found stranded at the bus stand as operations of buses were shut. Man slapped by protesters A man was slapped by protesters at Bharat Nagar Chowk when he had a heated argument with them. He was trying to cross the blocked road but stopped by protesters, which led to the argument. Protesters slapped him in the presence of the police. He, however, did not file any complaint. In another case, a man with his wife heading to a hospital was also stopped at Samrala Chowk and was slapped when the latter asked them to give way. A similar incident also happened at Jalandhar Bypass. Agitators not allowed at railway station The police had set up a special naka at Clock Tower and near the railway station to prevent the protesters from going towards the railway station. ADCP (Security) Deepak Pareek said the police discharged its duty to maintain the law and order situation. He added that the bandh remained by and large peaceful in the city. Police ask traders to close shops A day before the bandh, the police asked shopkeepers in the old area to close their shops so that no untoward incident happens. Today as well, the Kotwali SHO found some shops opened in Pindi Street and forced the shopkeepers to pull down the shutters.

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