By Our Correspondent CHANDIGARH: Life in the state came to a standstill on June 30 as the All India Sikh Students Federation’s call for a state wide Band (strike) received overwhelming support from the people.
The AISSF (Manjit Singh) had called for the bandh to protest the police atrocities on Sikh women, the killings by the police in fake encounters, and demand the release of all political leaders and workers, including Simranjit Singh Mann.
The call for the bandh was also endorsed by the Damdami Taksal the Panthic committee all the factions of Akali Dal. They had called on all communities to participate in the Bandh and there was overwhelming response from all of them.
There was no report of any violence in the state. Almost all shops were closed. The bus service could not run because there was no one to travel in the buses. In the normally hectic Chandigarh Bus station where thousands of buses ply every day only 28 buses were dispatched. Most of them were almost empty.
The support for the bundh and its success has reaffirmed the political hold of the AISSF (which is still banned by the government) The Bandh’s success, and support it reviewed from the Hindu community, also has highlighted the fact the people are fed up with the government and the police.
The success of the Bandh has further demoralized the government.
Article extracted from this publication >> July 7, 1989
