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Ravidas-Valmiki organisations stage protest in Jalandhar
The Valmiki and Ravidas samaj had earlier called for a ‘Punjab bandh’ on August 12 but the call for protest was taken back after receiving assurance of a meeting with chief minister Bhagwant Mann
The Valmiki and Ravidas organisations on Thursday carried out a protest here over alleged objectionable remarks made against the SC/ST community by former advocate general Anmol Rattan Sidhu.
The Valmiki and Ravidas samaj had earlier called for a ‘Punjab bandh’ on August 12 but the call was taken back after receiving assurance of a meeting with chief minister Bhagwant Mann. However, Ravidas Tiger force and Valmikan Tiger force took out the protest in Jalandhar.
Jassi Talhan from Ravidas Tiger Force said that some Amritsar-based organisations decided to call off the strike.
“Our meeting was conducted with cabinet minister Kuldeep Dhaliwal but the outcome of the meeting was unsatisfactory, so we have called for a strike today and we appeal to the people to co-operate with us,” he said.
Ajay Khosla, president of Valmikan Tiger Force, said that they received proper co-operation from market associations. Though some shops opened but the members of the community got them shut.
A bike rally was also organised by the protesters and a large number of police personnel were also deputed to avoid any untoward incident.
Shashi Gill, member of Pawan Valmiki Tirath Prabandhak Committee, said that on August 11, deputy commissioner, Amritsar, stated that a meeting with chief minister Mann has been finalised on August 19 following which the decision for a strike was called off. “If our demands will not be met in the meeting, then we will start our protest,” he added.
