CHANDIGARH, Punjab (October 19, 2015)—Anger amongst Sikh masses refuses to die down following the desecration of Guru Granth Sahib on different places of the state and killing of Sikh youth in Fridkot’s village.
Today, protests of blocking roads and bridges continued across Punjab, despite a call by some Sikh leaders to lift the obstructions.
Peaceful sit-ins (dharna) on the bridge of Beas river near Goindwal Sahib continues to break the link of Tarn Taran district from the Doaba region. Similarly, a dharna on the Harike bridge today entered it’s fourth day, due to which the border district was totally cut off from the Malwa region.
Protest in Bathinda
As on Saturday, all the roads are blocked due to dharnas staged on a number of key locations at various cities, towns, and villages including Patti, Khadur Sahib, Goindwal Sahib, Fatehabad, Bhikhiwind, Harike etc. However, some shops were opened during the afternoon today in some towns including Khalra, Khemkaran etc.
Extending their support to agitation of Sikh masses, members of the Christian community also condemned the desecration of Guru Granth Sahib. They held protest march in nearby village Palasaur saying that Guru Granth Sahib teaches lessons of universal brotherhood and it’s insult could not be tolerated.
Complete shutdown in Khadur Sahib
In Jalandhar, Sikh youth under the banner of Sikh Action Committee blocked Jalandhar-Kapurthala road for two hours. They also held the protest march from Basti Bawa Khel Guru Arjun Nagar in Mithu Basti.
Meanwhile, Sikh activists blocked the main road that connects the city to Kapurthala and Kartarpur towns.
Protesters continued to block roads at various places in Fridkot district, including Behbal Kalan, where two protesters died in a police firing on Wednesday.
Protesters blocked roads in Bathinda’s various places including Talwandi Sabo, Kotshamir, Maur and Goniana.
Tension has been prevailing in the state since Monday, when a holy ‘Bir’ of Guru Granth Sahib was found vandalized in a street near a gurdwara of Bargari village, 15 km from Kotkapura.
Blockade of Tarn Taran to Goindwal Sahib road near village Sheikh Chak