Jul 04 2008
Amarnath Land row: nation wide Bandh hit normal life!
All India shutdown called by the BJP-VHP on Thursday against J&K govt decision of revoking of the land donated to Shri Amarnath Shrine Board has disrupted normal life in most part of the country. The protest left two persons killed while most of the rail and road transport was blocked. After the revoke of the order of transferring forestland to Amarnath shrine board, BJP-VHP demanded removal of Governor N N Vohra.
Many incidents of violence were reported by the protesters affecting road and railway transport. Along with, all markets were closed on the day. Bandh supporters stopped the Delhi-Bhopal Shatabdi express at Agra. BJP supporters blocked the major highways including Delhi-Amritsar highway at Shambhu Barrier and the Delhi-Noida-Delhi flyover in Delhi. Western Express Highway in Mumbai was also blocked. Many trains were also being targeted. Delhi-Bhopal Shatabdi Express has been stopped near Agra.
Jammu, the epicenter of the violence hit normal life in the state along with parts of Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Assam and Jharkand. Meanwhile, in Jammu, curfew continued for the second day and pilgrims to the Vaishno Devi Shrine were among those stranded. The situation in Jammu remains tense with curfew remained in various parts of the state.
The VHP is also taking an active part in the bandh. “The forest act issue is just an excuse,” VHP general secretary Venkatesh Abdeo said. “This is a conspiracy to stop the Amarnath pilgrimage. Tomorrow it will be Vaishnodevi and Tirupati.”
The capital city was also affected largely by the bandh. There were violent incidents reported in the city in some regions. Shops were forcefully stopped in the Lakshmi Nagar area while whole market was closed in Karol Bagh too. Delhi Police assured that adequate security arrangements have been made in wake of the bandh and strict vigilance is going.
Similar scenario was viewed in financial capital Mumbai where protesters pelted buses with stones in suburban Kandivili damaging five best buses and blocked roads also. Important arterial roads at Vakola, Malad and Borivili in Northwest Mumbai and in the Northeast suburb of Ghatkopar were blocked.
In Thane, members of right wing Hindu organization were moving around the city since morning with flags in their hands forcing shop owners to down shutters. Even in Nagpur incidents of stone pelting were reported from Dighori and few places in south and eastern part of the city, said police. Some activists damaged about eight buses late last night in eastern part of city, they said.
Shops, business establishments and educational institutions were closed in most parts. Similar effects were seen in Karnataka state.
