The Punjab Bandh called by the Valmiki community on Monday saw a mixed response across the state, as the shutdown was called to protest the alleged police lathi-charge on sanitation workers in Barnala.
While the impact was significant in Jalandhar and several parts of the Doaba region, many other districts continued to function normally.
The bandh was announced from 10 AM to 5 PM. Community organisations appealed to traders, educational institutions, social groups and the general public to support the protest by keeping markets and establishments closed, however, no major traders' body or transport association officially extended support to the bandh.
Jalandhar witnessed the biggest impact during the protest. Many markets and commercial establishments remained closed throughout the day, giving several parts of the city a deserted look, since the Doaba region has a large Valmiki population, the bandh received considerable support in Jalandhar as well as nearby districts such as Hoshiarpur, Kapurthala and Nawanshahr.
Several private schools in Jalandhar also remained closed. Schools including MGN School, Seth Hukam Chand School, Innocent Hearts School, Shiv Jyoti Public School, Cambridge Innovative School and DIPS School declared a holiday after informing parents on Sunday night and some schools conducted online classes instead of regular classroom teaching.
Bus services from the Jalandhar bus stand were affected during the bandh, however, national highways and state highways remained open, and traffic movement continued without major disruptions. Police remained deployed at important locations to maintain law and order throughout the day.
The protest in Jalandhar concluded at around 1 PM after members of the Valmiki community submitted a memorandum of demands to SDM Shubhi Angra, during the protest, community leaders demanded strict action against those responsible for the Barnala incident. Local leaders, including Vipin Sabharwal, demanded the dismissal of DSP Satvir Singh, who has already been suspended by the Punjab Police.
In Amritsar, normal activities continued during the morning hours, however, the impact of the bandh became visible after around 12 PM. Protesters reportedly removed and threw away posters of Aam Aadmi Party leaders near Bhandari Bridge and people who had come out for shopping were asked to return home, and later the Hall Gate market was also closed.
The impact of the bandh was limited in many other districts of Punjab. In Ludhiana, members of the Valmiki community organised protests, but markets remained open, however, work at the Municipal Corporation office was affected. In Patiala and Bathinda, daily life continued normally, and there was no major disruption in public movement or business activities.
Outside Punjab, the issue was also raised in Parliament. Congress MPs Raja Warring, Amar Singh, Gurjeet Singh Aujla and Sher Singh Ghubaya staged a protest outside Parliament House in New Delhi. Raja Warring demanded strict action against those responsible for the alleged lathi-charge on sanitation workers and he also raised the issue of recent paper leak cases in Punjab.
The bandh was called following the police action in Barnala on July 22. Sanitation workers had been on strike since July 8, demanding permanent jobs, higher salaries and the restoration of the Old Pension Scheme and following directions from the Punjab and Haryana High Court, the Barnala Municipal Corporation and district administration started a garbage removal drive with police protection.
During the operation, a clash took place between the protesting sanitation workers and the police and according to allegations, the police used lathi-charge and force to disperse the protesters. Videos of the incident later circulated widely on social media and showed alleged assault on sanitation workers, including women and the incident triggered criticism from political parties and social organisations.
Following the controversy, Punjab Police suspended Barnala DSP Satvir Singh after the Punjab Director General of Police ordered action based on a report received from the Patiala Range. The suspension came after criticism from various quarters, including the National Commission for Safai Karamcharis and the Scheduled Castes Commission.