Bharat bandh cripples life in Jammu

The 12-hour bandh called by the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and the left parties on Thursday crippled life in Jammu with business establishments and other commercial activities being hit.

Vehicular movement was hit in Jammu and other major towns of the region in response to the opposition-sponsored all-India shutdown between 6 am and 6 pm.

The nationwide shutdown was called by opposition National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and is supported by Panthers' Party, Jammu Mukti Morcha, and Communist Party of India- Marxist, besides some social, religious, and transport organisations here.

All shops in the city are closed. Some private schools have declared a holiday.

In absence of commuter transport, attendance in government offices, schools and banks was thin.

The state unit president of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Shamsher Singh Manhas said: "Congress-led UPA government has taken grossly anti-people steps which have hit the common people very badly and they should be immediately rolled back."

Senior leader of Panthers Party Harshdev Singh described the shutdown as successful, complete and peaceful.

He said, "People have expressed their sentiments against the UPA government by openly and spontaneously supporting the bandh. This is a signal to parties supporting the UPA government to reconsider their support."

Small groups of activists of various parties held protests in different parts of the city. They burnt effigies of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and of UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi.

Similar shutdown and protest were observed in major towns of the region like Samba, Kathua and Udhampur besides small townships.

A senior police official told IANS, "The situation is so far peaceful in the region and we have deployed additional force to maintain.