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Punjab bandh tomorrow: Will schools be closed? Govt clarifies
The Qaumi Insaf Morcha on Wednesday called for a 'Punjab Bandh' on August 21 to press for the release of Sikh prisoners.
As Punjab braces for a bandh on Friday, August 21, over demands for the release of Sikh prisoners, the state government has clarified that schools and colleges will remain open.
Education Secretary Sonali Giri said no instructions have been issued for the closure of educational institutions.
However, the Ludhiana CBSE coordinator said most CBSE schools in the district are likely to remain closed on Friday. The coordinator added that individual schools can take a decision on whether to remain open.
Also Read | Punjab: SAD (Punar Surjit) backs bandh call for Sikh prisoners
What is happening in Punjab?
The Qaumi Insaf Morcha on Wednesday called for a 'Punjab Bandh' on August 21 to press for the release of Sikh prisoners.
Morcha leaders have also appealed to people from all sections of society to support the bandh, according to a PTI report.
Qaumi Insaf Morcha leader Surjit Singh Phul said the bandh will be observed across the state from 7 am to 2 pm on Friday.
The Morcha has been demanding parole for Jagtar Singh Hawara, who is serving a life sentence for the assassination of then Punjab chief minister Beant Singh in 1995.
Also Read | Punjab employees step up ‘Maha Bandh’ protest plans on August 27 as DA dues deadline ends
Punjab university postpones exams
To avoid inconvenience to students, Panjab University has postponed Friday's exams for students who were unable to appear for them earlier. The exams will now be held on September 10.
Meanwhile, the Federation of Private Schools and Association of Punjab (FAP), which represents more than 7,500 private schools in the state, has announced a holiday in all member schools on August 21.
FAP president Jagjit Singh Dhuri said the decision was taken keeping the safety of students as the priority.
Tear gas and water cannons used on I-Day
On August 15, the group had called for a march towards the Punjab governor's residence to demand Hawara's parole and the release of 'Bandi Singhs' -- a term used for Sikh prisoners convicted for their involvement in militancy during the Punjab insurgency of the 1990s.
The Chandigarh Police, however, used tear gas shells and water cannons to disperse protesters who attempted to breach barricades during the march.
Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has already met the governor and backed a 10-day parole for Hawara so that he can meet his ailing mother.
Besides Hawara, the Morcha has been demanding the release of Balwant Singh Rajoana and Devinderpal Singh Bhullar.
Rajoana is a convict in the 1995 assassination of Beant Singh, while Bhullar is serving a sentence in connection with the 1993 Delhi bomb blast case.
The Qaumi Insaaf Morcha has been holding a prolonged protest near Sector 52-53 in Chandigarh and YPS Chowk in Mohali since January 7, 2023, as part of its campaign seeking the release of Sikh prisoners.
The Shiromani Akali Dal (Punar Surjit General) has also supported the Punjab Bandh call.
In a statement, the SAD (Punar Surjit) said the government is not only refusing to release the 'Bandi Singhs' but is also attempting to suppress the voices of those demanding their release through force and the registration of cases.
Therefore, it appealed to justice-loving people across Punjab to cooperate in observing a complete bandh on August 21 in order to strongly oppose what they described as "government high-handedness".
It said party leaders and workers would join hands with people to make the bandh successful and build pressure on governments to secure the release of the Bandi Singhs who, despite having completed their sentences, have remained imprisoned for decades.
