The Valmiki community has once again called for a ‘Punjab Bandh’ (shutdown) on Thursday (July 30) to protest against the police lathi-charge on sanitation workers who were demonstrating for their demands in Barnala. The community has appealed for markets, schools, colleges, malls, and other establishments to remain closed.
The shutdown will be effective from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM, after which the situation will return to normal. Various organizations in Ludhiana, Bathinda, Hoshiarpur, Fazilka, Kapurthala, Amritsar, Patiala, Pathankot, and Gurdaspur have extended their support to the shutdown. However, there will be no shutdown in Jalandhar; only a protest will be held there.
Union leaders claim that several sanitation workers were injured and sustained head injuries during the police action. Protesters also alleged that female sanitation workers were mistreated. They demanded strict action against the Barnala DSP.
On Wednesday, members of the Valmiki community in Amritsar raised slogans against the government. They prepared effigies of police officials and dressed them in women’s clothing.
Support for the shutdown in Gurdaspur
The Gurdaspur Trade Union has announced its support for the ‘Punjab Bandh’ called by sanitation workers for July 30. Sanitation workers have been on strike for several days pressing for their demands.
Meanwhile, in Ludhiana, Yashpal Chaudhary—a leader representing the BJP and the Dalit community—stated that they had issued the call for Thursday’s shutdown. Markets will be closed peacefully from the morning until 4:00 PM. They are receiving public support and have appealed to the people to cooperate with the shutdown.
No shutdown in Jalandhar today
Representatives of various social and religious organizations in Jalandhar stated that while news regarding a ‘Punjab Bandh’ is being circulated by some groups, the people of Jalandhar had already supported a shutdown on July 27. Therefore, no shutdown will be observed in Jalandhar on July 30.