Normal life was hit in Jammu city on Friday in response to a bandh called by several political, social and trade outfits to protest against the harassment of Sikhs .
Normal life was hit in Jammu city on Friday in response to a bandh called by several political, social and trade outfits to protest against the harassment of Sikhs by Taliban in Pakistan's northwest region.
Shops and commercial establishments were closed and traffic was thin as matadors and autos, the main mode of public transport in the city, kept away from the roads. Attendance in most government offices, public sector undertakings and banks was thin.
There was no response to the bandh from elsewhere in Jammu region.
About 80 members of Bar Association of Jammu took out a procession from Janipur to Vikram Chowk in the city, where they were joined by activists of other organisations to
proceed to UN observers office to lodge protest against the harassment of Sikhs by the Taliban in the neighbouring country.
The bandh has been called by 20 organizations, including VHP, Bajrang Dal, BJP and traders associations.
It has also been supported by several Sikh organisations, which held meeting here on Thrusday under the banner of Bhai Kanahiya Nishkam Sewa society.
Expressing anguish over the "un-democratic" and "inhuman" action of Taliban, chief organiser of the society Mohinder Singh appealed to prime minister Manmohan Singh to
intervene in the matter.
State VHP president Ramakant Dubey said the bandh has been called to protest against the imposition of 'jazia' (protection tax imposed on non-Muslims under Shariah law) on
Sikhs by Taliban in Swat valley in Pakistan.
Asking the international community to take a serious note of happenings in Pakistan, he said the government should intervene in the matter, failing which it will have serious
repercussions in India.
Taliban had imposed 'Jaziya' and destroyed houses of 11 Sikh families who failed to pay the huge tax of Rs 50 million each till April 29 when the deadline expired.
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