PHAGWARA (PUNJAB): The activists of the Shiv Sena allegedly burnt a Pakistani flag on the National Highway 1 today to protest against terror attacks on security forces in Jammu and Kashmir. Led by Sena's state Vice-President Inderjit Karwal, the protesters began the march from Hanumangarhi temple and came to NH 1, converging at sugar mill crossing.
Sporting Sena's flags, they allegedly raised slogans against Pakistan and also targeted the Centre and the Jammu and Kashmir government, officials said. They allegedly burnt an effigy of the BJP-led NDA government at sugar mill crossing.
The protesters alleged that Pakistan's ISI was "sponsoring terror attacks" on security forces in Jammu and Kashmir while the Union government was "soft-pedalling" over it to save the state government in which the BJP was a coalition partner. "Our army and paramilitary jawans are being targeted by Pakistan-sponsored terrorists in order to destabilise India and create a fear psychosis but Modi the government is doing precious little to control the situation," he alleged. He claimed that a fear-psychosis was being created ahead of the annual Amarnath yatra.
"Amarnath pilgrimage will be held at every cost for which foolproof security arrangements should be made," he demanded. Karwal batted for Governor's rule in Jammu and Kashmir and also demanded snapping of all ties with Pakistan, including discontinuation of the Indo-Pak bus service. Meanwhile, Phagwara SP Harwinder Singh Sandhu, who was present at the protest site, said the agitation had no effect on the movement of Indo-Pak international buses which cross through the town. "Both the buses from Delhi to Lahore and vice-versa had crossed Phagwara smoothly a little before the protest had started," he said.