Avtar Bhat
JAMMU, Dec 23: Jammu observed a near total bandh on the second day today the call of which was given by BJP on Saturday in protest against the re-induction of Sajjad Ahmed Kitchloo into Ministry and one Man Justice Gandhi Commission report on Kishtwar violence.
The old city areas observed a complete bandh with shops and other business establishments remaining closed while the transport was off the roads. However the bandh evoked mixed response in the outskirts where skelton transport services also plied and the shops and business establishments remained partially open.
The BJP activists from early morning moved around the city and its outskirts and held protest demonstrations at various places to enforce the bandh. To disrupt the movement of vehicular traffic, the party activists also burnt tyre tubes on various roads and erected barricades.
The BJP leaders and activists held a massive demonstration in front of Press Club and blocked the road at Dogra Chowk for about one hour in protest against the One Man Judicial Commission report and re-induction of Mr Kitchloo into the Ministry.
The protestors were demanding CBI probe into August 9 attack on minorities in Kishtwar and punishment to guilty.
Earlier the Party activists also held demonstrations at Gandhi Nagar, Janipur, Muthi, Talab Tillo and Ambphalla, Old City and later reached the Press Club where a massive demonstration was held.
The party activists raising slogans against the re-induction of Mr Kitchloo into Ministry demanded justice for minorities of Kishtwar.
Reports reaching here from Kathua said that a complete bandh was observed in the town by the people today in response to 48 hour BJP’s call. All the shops and business establishments in the town remained closed while the traffic was off the roads. The BJP activists held a demonstration in the town to protest against the one Man Judicial Commission report and re-induction of Mr Kitchloo into Ministry.
A complete bandh was also observed in Samba today. The minority business establishments remained totally closed in Bhaderwah today in response to BJP’s bandh call and the party activists held a demonstration in Seri Bazar in protest against re-induction of Mr Kitchloo into Ministry. The protestors shouted slogans against Omar Abdullah Government and Judicial Commission report.
BJP State Executive member, Advocate Manjit Razdhan said that people of Kishtwar are aware of the role played by Mr Kitchloo in the violence and they can’t forget it. He criticized the Government of acting in haste on the interim report of the Commission.
Complete bandh was also observed in Udhampur town on the second day today with shops and business establishments remaining closed and the public transport remaining off the roads.
Total bandh was observed by the minorities in Kishtwar today also in response to BJP’s bandh call.
BJP activists led by party senior leader Yougesh Sharma held a protest demonstration at Rajouri and torched the effigy of Mr Kitchloo.
Meanwhile, BJP claimed its bandh call a total success and complimented the people, traders and transporters in extending full support to its 48 hour bandh call.
By providing whole hearted support to bandh call the people of Jammu have sent a clear message that they reject the Justice Gandhi Commission report on August 9 Kishtwar violence, party State president Jugal Kishore Sharma told reporters here in the afternoon.
He said the bandh call was given by the party against the manipulated report of Justice Gandhi Commission which was prepared on the behest of NC and Congress coalition.
He also questioned the silence of Congress party on the report which he said is not uttering a single word on the report. The party will hold demonstrations at district level from December 30 to mobilize the public opinion against the report, he added.
BJP Legislative Party Leader, Ashok Khajuria said that the former Military dictator of Pakistan Gen Zia-ul-Haq could not implement the Operation Topac in erstwhile Doda district to force the mass exodus of minorities from there on pattern of Kashmir valley and now the same agenda is being pursued by Kashmiri leadership through communal vote bank politics.
BJP National Executive member and chief spokesperson of the State, Dr Jitendra Singh general secretary of the party Kavinder Gupta, MLA Sukhnandan Kumar, Political advisor to State president Prof Hari Om and senior leader, Moan Singh Chauhan were also present in the press conference.
Bajrang Dal activists also staged a protest here today and torched the effigies of Mr Kitchloo. They warned to intensify agitation in case the culprits responsible for Kishtwar violence were not brought to book. They demanded immediate sacking of the Minister and CBI probe into the violence.
The Jammu West Assembly Movement activists led by Sunil Dimple also held a protest demonstration at New Plots and torched the effigies of the Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah, Mr Kitchloo and copies of Justice Gandhi Commission report.
Mr Dimple also expressed his compliments to people for making the bandh a success.
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