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TV serial telecast row: Mixed response in Majha to Punjab bandh call
The Punjab bandh call given by various organisations belonging to the Valmiki community against the telecast of TV serial ‘Ram Siya Ke Luv Kush’ for alleged distortion
The Punjab bandh call given by various organisations belonging to the Valmiki community against the telecast of TV serial ‘Ram Siya Ke Luv Kush’ for alleged distortion of facts evoked a mixed response on Saturday in the state’s Majha region.
Though shops and other commercial establishments remained closed for some hours in Amritsar, there was no visible impact of the strike in Gurdaspur and Pathankot districts.
In Amritsar, members of the Sant Samaj Bhagwan Valmiki Ashram, Central Valmiki Mandir Committee and Guru Ravidas Community staged a protest near the Vallah railway crossing and halted the Shatabdi Express for half an hour at 5am.
The protesters, joined by the activists of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), also staged demonstrations at Hall Gate, railway station, Bhandari Bridge, raising slogans against the TV channel for showing sage Valmiki in a bad light.
Though most of the private schools and colleges in Amritsar remained closed, commercial establishments were closed till afternoon only.
While railway services remained uninterrupted, Punjab Roadways buses were restricted to short routes with most of the private buses not plying on their routes.
In Gurdaspur, most of the shops in Islamabad Mohalla, a densely populated Valmiki locality, remained open. No protest was held by the community members in the district either. Even as the shops were open, not many people were seen in the markets.
In Pathankot, since the community leaders were not clear about the bandh call till late Friday night, it led to confusion among them whether to stage demonstrations or not.
Baba Malkit Nath of the Sant Samaj Bhagwan Valmiki Ashram said, “The serial has been made ignoring historical facts. It has hurt the sentiments of the community. We demand withdrawal of airing of the serial.”
