A shutdown was observed in the Jammu region on August 26 to oppose multiple moves of the government, which include setting up of a toll plaza at Sarore, installing smart meters and imposing property tax.
The shutdown call was issued by the Chamber of Commerce and Industries - Jammu following a series of street protests and sit-ins organised by the Yuva Rajput Sabha (YRS) against the Sarore Toll Plaza in Samba district.
The shutdown impacted the normal life in the region, with most markets closing their shopping. There was thin traffic on the roads.
Advocate Vikram Sharma, president of the High Court Bar Association, Jammu, supported the shutdown call.
“The Sarore toll plaza has come up in violation of the rules of the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) not to erect a toll within 60 km of a stretch. Besides, faulty smart meters have been installed and the customers’ grievances need to be addressed first. The move to impose property tax also remains one of the key issues for locals in Jammu,” Mr. Sharma said.
The Bar also urged the Lieutenant Governor’s administration to release the arrested leaders and members of the Yuva Rajput Morcha “as a goodwill gesture”.
Scores of protesters assembled in parts of Jammu, Samba, Kathua, Reasi and Udhampur districts to press for the release of the detained leaders.
Additional deployments were made in several districts of the Jammu province in the wake of the shutdown call. There was a bid to halt the traffic on the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway but was disallowed.
“It’s a symbolic shutdown. Even women participated in the protest. Jammu has never seen such a bandh. People are being harassed over smart meters. The L-G administration should pay heed to the issues and resolve them. The toll should be removed. Detained people should be released unconditionally,” CCI-J president Arun Gupta said.
The National Conference, Peoples Democratic Party, Apni Party, Congress and several other Jammu-based parties supported the protest call. These parties also held street protests in parts of Jammu.
“The BJP government at the Centre and the J&K UT Administration have crossed all limits in going ahead with atrocious anti-people policies. People are fed up with this unacceptable approach and attitude of the administration,” Rattan Lal Gupta, provincial president of the NC, said.
Former BJP Member Parliament Chaudhary Lal Singh, who launched his own party Dogra Swabhimaan Sangathan party, is organising a rally of all Dogras of Jammu province to express solidarity with the Dogra youth under illegal detention of the police on August 28.
“This rally shall express the anguish, restlessness and the sufferings of the people of Jammu province felt for the last so many years, more after abrogation of Article 370,” a spokesman said.
