Mubashir Naik
The bandh call given by farmers and various other organizations witnessed mixed impact in Jammu District with most of public transport staying off roads. Commuters faced problems and were seen walking a distance, but shops and business establishments remained partially open.
The main protest rally was taken out by Jammu Kashmir Transport Welfare Association (JKTWA) from Bikram Chowk to Digiana, blocking the Jammu-Pathankot highway. The JKTWA and over a dozen other social, religious and political organizations have extended support to the bandh call.
The protests remained peaceful and no untoward incident was reported from anywhere in Jammu district or elsewhere in the province, officials said.
The protest started around 11:00 am from Vikram Chowk Jammu Leading the protest march, JKTWA chairman T. S Wazir said they were on the roads in support of the agitating farmers who were demanding immediate revocation of the three farm laws introduced by the central government.
“If there is a need, we are ready to join the farmers in Delhi,” Wazir told reporters, amid high-pitch sloganeering by participants at Bikram Chowk in the heart of the city.
Taking a dig at central government for defending the laws as “pro-farmer”, he said the Union ministers had promised Rs 15 lakh to citizens and two crore jobs but these promises proved to be white lies.
“They are selling falsehood to the public which people are not going to accept anymore,” he said.
Sunil Dimple, president, Jammu West Assembly Movement while raising slogans in support of farmers targeted PM Modi & said
“PM is mentally sick, that’s why he is unable to understand the farmer’s demands.” He warned the Central government to intensify the agitation in support of the farmer’s agitation, if these laws aren’t taken back.
He appealed to all the political parties to concentrate on the restoration of Dogra history and fight for statehood, special status and against the black Land Act.
Various other social, religious and political organizations including National Panthers Party (NPP), Kisan Vikas Front and United Sikh Organisation also staged peaceful protests at different places in the city in support of the bandh call.
Huge numbers of police and paramilitary forces including Ladies forces was deployed in order to maintain law and order in Jammu.