CHANDIGARH: Protesters led by Qaumi Insaaf Morcha leader Gurcharan Singh parked vehicles on the road outside Patiala's main bus stand on Friday, blocking traffic on both sides and severely affecting bus services to Bathinda, Ferozepur, Faridkot and other parts of Punjab during the seven hour Punjab Bandh called for the release of Sikh prisoners (Bandi Singhs).
Shops, markets, commercial establishments and private schools remained totally shut, while traffic movement was severely hit on highways at many places during the bandh, causing disruptions across the state.
Normal life was disrupted in Punjab, with shops and commercial establishments remaining fully closed in most urban and rural areas, including major cities such as Patiala, Jalandhar, Amritsar, Ferozepur, Ludhiana, Mohali and Sangrur.
Protesters staged dharnas in Jalandhar, Ludhiana's Ladhowal, Hoshiarpur and Ferozepur to express their anguish over the non release of Sikh prisoners. They also took out marches on two wheelers in cities.
The Patiala bus stand is one of the city's major transportation hubs, and its blockade had a direct impact on traffic. Buses coming out of the bus stand were also stopped, resulting in long queues of vehicles and stranded passengers.
The bandh's impact was visible in Amritsar, where several markets and commercial establishments remained closed, and bus services were affected.
The Amritsar bus stand witnessed considerably less activity than usual. Some long-distance buses had left the depot early in the morning, but passenger movement remained low later in the day.
The bandh also affected Faridkot, where private schools and shops remained closed, while government offices and schools remained open.
A Sikh leader said private schools and shopkeepers fully supported the bandh, while government offices remained open. He said protesters had stopped a government bus and sent it back to the bus stand.
In Bathinda, the bandh received a strong response, with bus services completely suspended and markets remaining closed. Sikh organisations held a peaceful demonstration outside the bus stand, while a large police force was deployed in the area.
The bandh's impact was also visible in Muktsar, where shops in several markets remained closed.
The morcha, which has gathered support from several religious, social, farmer and employees' organisations and Sikh political parties, decided to lay siege to highways and railway tracks and shut down commercial establishments across the state from 7 am to 2 pm.
Commuters, including office goers and travellers, bore the brunt of the bandh call as they got caught up in road blockades by supporters of the Qaumi Insaaf Morcha and various farmers' bodies at several places.
At some places, road users were seen requesting the protesters to allow them to proceed towards their destinations as tractor trolleys and other vehicles were parked in the middle of roads, including state and national highways, by the agitators.
The only relief was that essential services such as medical emergencies, travel to airports, examinations and wedding ceremonies were allowed, the Morcha leaders said.
Private schools remained shut on Friday as the Federation of Private Schools announced a holiday in the wake of the bandh call.
Chandigarh Police personnel, including the Rapid Action Force (RAF), were deployed along the barricades put up at the Mohali-Chandigarh border points.
The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), the Shiromani Akali Dal (Punar Surjit General) and Shiromani Akali Dal Waris Punjab De extended support, as did farmer groups including the Bharti Kisan Union (Rajewal). Kisan Mazdoor Morcha leader Sarwan Singh Pandher also backed the call.
At the centre of the protest is a demand for parole for Jagtar Singh Hawara, serving a life sentence for the 1995 assassination of then Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh.
Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has already met Punjab Governor Gulab Chand Kataria to support a 10 day parole for Hawara to visit his ailing mother.
The Morcha is also seeking the release of Balwant Singh Rajoana, convicted in the same 1995 assassination, and Devinderpal Singh Bhullar, jailed over a 1993 Delhi bomb blast.
The Qaumi Insaaf Morcha (QIM) is a Sikh advocacy platform that has been holding a continuous sit-in at Sector 52 53 in Chandigarh and adjoining YPS Chowk in Mohali for more than three and a half years.
It brings together families of jailed Sikh prisoners, Nihang groups, panthic organisations and farm bodies. Its protest site also runs a community kitchen for those staying there.
The public face has largely been Gurcharan Singh, father of Jagtar Singh Hawara, along with leaders Dilsher Singh and Balwinder Singh, who have addressed press conferences on its behalf.
Tarsem Singh, father of Khadoor Sahib MP Amritpal Singh, and former Jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh are also among its key organisers.