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| Jammu observed complete bandh amidst violent incidents | | ‘The bandh was more out-of-fear than voluntary’ | |
Jammu May 22
Jammu observed a complete bandh responding to the call given by the Shri Akal Takhat, supported by Shiromani Gurdwara Parbhandhak Committee (SGPC) and various other Sikh organizations to register their resentment against the ‘sacrilege act’ committed by head of the Dera Sacha Souda.
The vehicular traffic and presence in the state and central government offices were thin in response to bandh call while public transport completely remained off from the roads. Violence was reported at Jewel Chowk, Bus Stand, Vikram Chowk, Satwari Chowk and at Rehari Chungi Chowk where protestors not only smashed window panes of government and private public conveyance but also burnt tyres to create barricades on the roads to check vehicular traffic.
Sword-wielding Sikhs grouped and roamed all around the city in an effort to enforce the bandh. However there scuffles reported from various localities between the protestors and shopkeepers especially at Bus Stand, Walled City and at Vikram Chowk the main venue of the protest. The bandh took an ugly turn when Sikh youths brandishing swords entered into hot arguments when some shopkeepers and auto rickshaw owners objected.
Though the public transport remained off from the road with the beginning of the day but private vehicles marked their presence on the deserted roads. Sikh groups armed with swords, batons and clubs raising anti-Dera Sacha Souda sloganeering rode all over the day and forcibly closed shops and other business establishments. Although the private educational institutions already observed a informal holiday keeping the tense atmosphere in view but protesting youths at places smashed signboards and furniture of shops that did not close down and also smashed the windows of the moving auto rickshaws. The protestors were demanding arrest of Dera chief Sant Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh for his "sacrilegious act" that had hurt the sentiments of entire Sikh community. Protestors stressed that the Jathedar of Akal Takhat should take strong stand against the Dera culture and should initiate "dharm parchar laher" on war footage.
While youths were busy in making hooligans but the majority of aged in protest opinioned that the Deras culture should be discouraged by the Akal Takhat, as most of the Deras have been violating the "Sikh maryada" (sikh code of conduct) as preached by the revered Gurus of the Sikh Community.
It is to mention that tension prevailed in several towns of Punjab and in north India as followers of the Dera Sacha Sauda entered into confrontation with Sikhs who were protesting against an advertisement featuring the controversial religious order's head attired in the garb of revered tenth Sikh Guru Gobind Singh Ji. This has enraged the sentiments of the Sikh Community and widespread protests were staged across the India. In response to the appeals of the Sikh organizations the religious body Shri Akal Takhat gave its edict (Hukumnaama) to observe a Bandh on May 22.
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