Punjab Bandh On August 21 Schools Highways Shut For Seven Hours

The seven-hour Punjab Bandh call given by the Qaumi Insaaf Morcha for the release of Sikh prisoners is likely to cause disruptions in the state on Friday.

The morcha, which has gathered support from several religious, social, farmer, employees organisations and Sikh political parties, has decided to lay siege to highways and railway tracks, and shut down commercial establishments across the state from 7 am to 2 pm.

While Punjab education secretary Sonali Giri said no instructions had been issued for the closure of educational institutions, the Association of Private Unaided Schools, and Federation of Private Schools and Association of Punjab advised their members to close their institutes on Friday for the safety of students and teachers.

However, colleges and universities run by the state and Centre have not issued any holiday notice.

To avoid inconvenience to students, Panjab University announced postponement of exams to be held on Friday. These exams will now be conducted on September 10.

Seeking the release of Sikh prisoners, the morcha has been spearheading an indefinite sit-in on the Mohali-Chandigarh border since January 7, 2023. Its leaders announced the Punjab Bandh on August 15 after Chandigarh Police used tear gas shells and water cannons to disperse protesters who tried to breach barricades during a march towards the Punjab governor’s residence.

Medical emergencies, travel to airports, exams, weddings exempted

The morcha leaders have sought support from every section of society, including traders, shopkeepers, commercial establishments, transporters and educational institutions, to make the bandh a success.

However, essential services such as medical emergencies, as well as travel to airports, exams and wedding ceremonies, will be allowed, the morcha leaders have said.

“Transportation, shops and other commercial outlets will remain shut from 7 am to 2 pm. Hospitals and chemist shops will remain open. Ambulances, funeral vans and vehicles being used for weddings will be exempted. No person or commuter in an emergency will be stopped,” said morcha convener Pal Singh France.

He said, “We don’t want to harass the public or cause any disruption to routine life and businesses. This shutdown call is meant to seek justice for Sikh prisoners who have been languishing in different jails for decades. They have been even deprived of parole.”

SGPC, Sikh political parties back shutdown

The shutdown has received support from the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee; farmers organisations, including Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee; employees unions; and political parties, including SAD (Punar Surjit), SAD (Amritsar) and Akali Dal Waris Punjab De.

In view of the bandh, the SGPC has also postponed its executive committee scheduled at its headquarters in Amritsar to August 22.

SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami said all SGPC offices and institutions will remain closed on August 21 in support of the bandh: “The SGPC had been consistently making efforts for the release of Sikh prisoners and will continue to extend full support to every peaceful struggle undertaken for the cause.”

The Sikh prisoners whose pre-mature release or commutation of sentence are being sought include Jagtar Singh Hawara (convicted in 2007, death sentence commuted to life term in 2010), Balwant Singh Rajoana (2007, death sentence), Paramjit Singh Bheora (2010, life term), Jagtar Singh Tara (2018, life term), all held guilty for the 1995 assassination of then chief minister Beant Singh, along with terror convicts Gurdeep Singh Khera (1991, life term) and Davinderpal Singh Bhullar (convicted in 2001, death sentence commuted to life term in 2014).

Recently, chief minister Bhagwant Mann met Punjab governor Gulab Chand Kataria favouring a 10-day parole for Hawara so he could meet his ailing mother.