Early Times Report
Lakhanpur, July 20: Amarnath pilgrims returning to Punjab, staged protest demonstration against Motor Vehicle Department (MVD) at Lakhanpur toll plaza, for harassing them unnecessarily. According to sources, two buses of Shri Amarnath pilgrims reached Lakhanpur Toll Plaza to pay their toll. The Motor Vehicle Department officials asked them to pay fine to the tune of Rupees two thousand each as the both the buses were late. As the buses were two days late the pilgrims agreed to pay the fine, making request to exempt the fine, as they were late due to clash as Baltal. However, the officials of MVD did not agree and asked them to deposit the fine according to the law. When the pilgrims deposited eight-thousand rupees, the MVD officials asked them to pay penalty of rupees four-thousand, two-thousand each for both the buses. The moment the pilgrims listened, they started staging the protest at Toll Plaza itself. Leading the protesters Paramjeet Singh said the buses were late due to disturbance in Srinagar but inspite of it, they paid extra toll but still they were asking for penalty. Alleging the MVD official for misbehaving with pilgrims he said that they are challenging them to do what so ever they could do but would not allow them to pass through. Later the pilgrims in their buses came to meet DDC at Mini-Secretariat Kathua. However, the Mini-Secretariat was close following the Bandh call given by VHP. Then the pilgrims came in touch with the activists of Shiv Sena and again went to Lakhanpur and staged protest with Shiv Sena activists at Toll Plaza. Keeping in view the situation getting tense SHO Lakhanpur K D Bhagat went to the spot and after a little discussion with the MVD officials, he told the pilgrims to go after paying the tax of two-days only.
Expressing resentment regarding the whole scenario District President of Shiv Sena Nariender Tangri said it was strange to say that after the intervention of SHO the MVD officials let the pilgrims go after harassing them for four hours.
"It is due to the anti-pilgrimage attitude of the state government that pilgrims are harassed repeatedly", he miffed. |
