Markets remain closed, traffic movement normal
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Aug 29: The Jammu Bandh call given by J&K High Court Bar Association Jammu and supported by several organizations evoked partial response from the public today while as agitating lawyers held demonstrations against the Government at various places and burnt tyres to press for a shutdown in support of their demands.
While markets remained closed in several areas of Jammu, some agitating lawyers were seen forcing the people to close the shutters of their respective shops and other business establishments in certain parts of Jammu city and its outskirts.
The traffic movement was largely normal but some protesting lawyers were also seen creating obstructions in the plying of passenger vehicles as transporters had not given support to the Jammu Bandh call. Even all the educational institutions including schools and colleges operated as normal.
In the morning, large number of agitating lawyers took out a rally from District Court Complex at Janipur up to High Court Road Chowk and held massive protest demonstration against the Government for not conceding their demands. They also blocked the traffic movement on Janipur road for quite long time by burning tyres and raising slogans against the administration for not showing any interest in considering their demands.
Similar protest demonstrations were also held at different places in Jammu particularly near the statute of Maharaja Hari Singh adjacent to Tawi Bridge where representatives of different political parties and other organizations supporting the Bar Association also sat on dharna for some time and raised slogans against the Government.
Because of the protest by the agitating lawyers, the police administration had to divert the traffic in certain areas which led to traffic chaos till afternoon and thereafter the private as well as passenger vehicles plied smoothly.
As per the reports from different districts of Jammu province, there was very little response to the Bandh call from the people and majority of the commercial establishments were open and conducted business as usual. However, the members of the respective Bar Associations held demonstrations at different places in the districts to lodge protest against the Government.
Due to the agitation of the lawyers, the work remained suspended in all the Courts and Tribunals across the Jammu province.
Meanwhile, the J&K High Court Bar Association, Jammu in a handout claimed that Jammu Bandh call received massive response in the entire Jammu province.
“All the business establishments remained closed, public transport was off the roads and work in all the courts from High Court to Munsiff Court level, in the Revenue Courts and Tribunals remained suspended in the entire Jammu province”, the Bar said, adding various teams of the lawyers were on the roads and bazaars appealing the people for observing complete and peaceful Bandh.
“As per the reports received from different districts, people gave full support to the Bandh call of the lawyers and Bandh was complete in Samba, Bishnah, Kathua, Udhampur, Hiranagar, Reasi, Poonch, Rajouri, Akhnoor, Billawar, Basholi and Katra”, the Bar said.
While acknowledging the massive people support for the Bandh, President of Bar Association M K Bhardwaj said, “we are demanding a multi-storey building that can house all offices related to judicial work including Registrations, Central Administrative Tribunal, Debt Recovery Tribunals and Armed Forces Tribunal among others within the court premises”.
He also acknowledged the support of Chamber of Commerce, Traders Federation, Retailers Association, Transport Unions and political parties in making Bandh call a success.
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