Call for bandh over use of force against Dalits

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, June 8

Dissatisfied over redressal of their complaint regarding the force used on Dalit students during their protest at BSF Chowk on May 27, the Guru Ravi Das Tiger Force has given a call for Jalandhar bandh on Monday. Chief of the organisation Jassi Talhan has said that whole of the district including city and rural areas would remain shut on Monday next. Talhan was part of the group of Dalit leaders who had come for a meeting with the Deputy Commissioner and Commissioner of Police at the District Administrative Complex here.

Bandh on June 12

• Guru Ravi Das Tiger Force chief Jassi Talhan has said that whole of the district including city and rural areas would remain shut on Monday next week
• Kotli and Bhonsle said that they would meet the Punjab Governor to complain against the CP for not giving them a hearing on the issue of use of force by the police on Dalit students and using foul language against the girls

Other than him, Congress MLA Sukhwinder Kotli, party spokesperson Amritpal Bhonsle, Chandan Grewal from AAP, students and other activists from the Dalit community had come to meet the officials. Since both the DC and CP stayed away from the meeting, they all unitedly lodged a protest. ADC Jasvir Singh, DCP Jagmohan Singh and SSP Jalandhar Rural Mukhwinder Bhullar had come for the meeting with them but the Dalit leaders refused to talk to them and insisted that the DC and CP should have remained present.

Principals of various colleges had also been called in to attend the meeting and take up the issues that the SC students were facing including the problems in issuing of roll numbers, refusal to sit in examination and even awarding of degrees. But the meeting did not take off. Finally, Talhan gave a call for bandh. Kotli and Bhonsle said that they would meet the Punjab Governor to complain against the CP for not giving them a hearing on the issue of use of force by the police on Dalit students and using foul language against the girls present at the dharna site.