Jammu: On the call of the Chamber of Commerce and Industries, Jammu (CCIJ), supported by all the opposition parties, BAR Association Jammu and other trade bodies Jammu will observe a bandh today to protest against the installation of smart meters in the city and to keep the process of collection of toll on the highway in Samba in abeyance.
All the opposition parties including Congress, National Conference, Peoples Democratic Party(PDP), Panthers party, Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP) and JPPF has extended full support to the bandh call, however transporters did not lent their support to the shutdown till last reports.
Arun Gupta, President JCCI informed that after meeting with different trade groups, the Chamber decided to observe a peaceful Jammu Bandh. Gupta appealed to the people of Jammu and traders to keep business units shut for the day to register Jammu and Kashmir’s ‘unilateral anti-people decisions’.
J&K Congress Committee has announced its support to the bandh call of Jammu Chamber of Commerce and Industries, said its chief spokesperson Ravinder Sharma. “The Congress had been opposing the anti-people policies of the Modi government and now each and every section of the society feels the pain of the wrong policies of the BJP,” he said.
Expressing anger over the adamant attitude adopted by the BJP-controlled administration to solve pressing issues like illegal collection of toll and installation of pre-paid electric smart meters, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) supported the bandh call given by CCI.
“We extended our full support to the CCI call of Jammu bandh. PDP workers would take out peaceful demonstrations across the Jammu region against anti-people policies of the BJP-controlled administration,” spokesperson of PDP Varinder Singh Sonu said while addressing a press conference at Jammu.
National Conference (NC) has announced its full support to the 26th Aug ‘Jammu Bandh’ call against the toll collection at Sarore Toll Plaza and the installation of smart meters. Rattan Lal Gupta, Provincial President Jammu said that the people of Jammu are already on roads demanding the abolition of Sarore Toll Plaza and stopping of Smart Meters installation but this has had no effect at all on the Union Territory Administration and the ‘Jammu Bandh’ is the appropriate measure to get the genuine demands of the common people fulfilled.
He said that in this connection the meeting called by the Union Minister Nitin Gadkari with the Jammu and Kashmir Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leadership and NHAI on Sarore Toll Plaza is a mere eyewash and BJP’s ploy to adopt delay tactics and befool the people.
Bar Association Jammu, Former Minister Gulchain Singh Charak led Dogra Sadar Sabha, Jammu and Kashmir Panthers Party, Various Sikh Organizations, Jammu Province Bachao Manch (JPBM), Interaction Forum Jammu Province (IFJP), Hindustan Shiv Sena and other extended support to Jammu Bandh Call given by the Chamber of commerce and Industries Jammu.
Meanwhile, Additional Director General of Police Mukesh Singh Friday regarding Saturday’s strike, said all issues have been addressed, adding, “We will request them to call off the bandh as all issues have been resolved”, he said.
Singh earlier said that the Yuva Rajput Sabha activists detained for “breach of peace” will be released if any “prominent person” guarantees on their behalf that they would not repeat such an offence.
The Jammu ADGP said that a high-level meeting was conducted over the issue of the toll plaza. “All grievances which came up with LG were taken with the Centre for resolution. A team of NHAI will come here and a ground visit will be conducted to examine all the issues”, he said.
On the detention of the YRS activists, Singh said that some people have been detained for “breach of peace” and anybody else doing the same will be sternly dealt with.
The ADGP said that the protesters would be released once any prominent person comes forward to provide a guarantee in a bid to release them. “They will be released the moment someone takes the guarantee,” he said.
Meanwhile, Jammu Divisional Commissioner Ramesh Kumar Friday said that the installation of over 1.46 lakh smart electricity meters, around 80 per cent of the target, is complete in Jammu and a grievance cell has been set up to address complaints related to these meters.
Sarore Toll Plaza, Smart meters row: CCIJ led Jammu bandh today, Opp, lawyers extend support
