After the Chamber of Commerce and Industries called for Jammu bandh for the fifth day today for the removal of Saror toll in Samba adjacent to Jammu all the shops and business establishments were seen closed in the main market and square-intersections of the city.
Amid of , tight security arrangements were made by the administration in Jammu to control the panic situation during the Jammu bandh. Various organisations, opposition parties and Bar Association Jammu supported and participated in the bandh.
Our correspondents report that strong protest demonstrations were held at many places in Jammu to Kathua on Saturday for the removal of Saror toll , and smart meters as well as the release of the arrested youth recently being arrested during the mid night time on day before yesterday.
The youth also demonstrated by raising slogans in support of the bandh. Along with this, demanded the release of the arrested youth and demanded relief should be given to the people by closing the toll plaza. It is pertinent to mention here that from the last five days the youth, women and elders of Jammu are on the streets, but the government is not listening.
It was an unfortunate situation to see that the government did not want to listen to the demands of the people of Jammu. Protestors demanded the release of the youth lodged in Kathua jail.without any delay and Tax should not be collected till the widening of the highway.
Apart from local police, paramilitary forces were deployed at important places and square-intersections in Jammu city. The concerned SHO and other police officers were present at all the places. Instructions have been given to the police officers that no matter if people raise their voice peacefully, if they create ruckus or spread any kind of violence then take action.
Members of Jammu bar association Jammu on Saturday also made strong protest demonstrations against the installation of smart meters and removal of Saror toll plaza.The Chamber of Commerce and Industries and demanded the government to release the arrested youth unconditionally.
Members of the Bar Association said that the members of the Yuva Rajput Sabha were protesting peacefully and said that arresting them for this way and keeping them in jail is injustice.PDP supported the bandh by taking out a rally in Jammu city.
At the same time, Congress workers also took to the streets in support of the Jammu bandh. Party leaders and workers said that the LG administration in Jammu and Kashmir is continuously doing arbitrariness while ignoring the public. People have been protesting against smart meters for a long time.
Earlier people have protested against property tax and now people are mobilizing against Saror toll plaza. PDP said that all these decisions are anti-people. In such a situation, all these decisions should be withdrawn immediately.
Panthers Party President Harsh Dev Singh and Yuva Rajput Sabha raised the important issue of illegal road tax collection at Saror toll plaza, but the administration took the leaders of the meeting into custody. Panthers demand immediate release of leaders and immediate removal of Saror toll plaza.
At the same time, he supported the call of the Chamber of Commerce for the Jammu bandh.Funeral processions of governments were taken out in Kathua and from the last four days the active members of Rajput Sabha were shifted to Kathua Jail and for the last 3 days, youths in the city are protesting at various places supporting the release of arrested members of Rajput Sabha.
Various political parties are continuously taking out fury demonstrations, fury rallies and fury marches.. Throughout the day, slogans for the release of the arrested youth and against the state administration kept echoing in the city.
At the same time, political, social, business and religious organizations who came to protest outside the jail, expressed their anger against the state administration. Kathua Contractors Union including Democratic Progressive Azad Party, National Conference, Congress demonstrated on Wednesday.
Apart from this, people sitting on fast unto death at Shaheedi Chowk in the city also raised their voice for the release of the arrested youths. People who arrived at Shaheedi Chowk to boost the morale of the social workers sitting on fast-unto-death also demonstrated and the Socialist Student Federation expressed their anger by tying a black band.
While in Udhampur the Panthers party leader Harsh Dev Singh along with a thousand in number of his party supporters came on roads and registered a strong protest demonstration along with a thousand number of party workers against the anti people attitude adopted by the state administration .