Putlighar blast: Kin, Dalit organisations block traffic at Bhandari Bridge in Amritsar

PK Jaiswar

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, July 8

The indifferent attitude of the Punjab Government and district administration towards the family members of the victims of Putlighar blast and Dalit organisations forced them to block traffic at Bhandari Bridge here on Thursday.

They had been on hunger strike for the last one week in protest against the failure of the government to fulfil its promise to provide job to the kin of the deceased besides giving suitable compensation to them.

Later, following the assurance of the district administration, they ended their four-hour long dharna. Sub-Divisional Magistrate Vikas Heera, who came to the spot on behalf of the government, sought 10-day time for the same.

“We are in the process of providing relief to victims’ families. There were some objections which will be clear soon,” he assured the agitators.

Aman William of Bharitya Moolnivasi Mukti Morcha and Charan Singh Lakha of Valmiki Adi Dharam Samaj said if the government and authorities concerned failed this time, they would start an indefinite and intensive agitation again. “We will protest outside the residences of Cabinet Minister OP Soni and Raj Kumar Verka or at Bhandari Bridge,” they said.

After all promises made by the political leaders remained unfulfilled even after two years of the incident, they sat on an indefinite hunger strike at Bhandari Bridge here a week ago.

The family members of the victims — Rajinder Kumar and Rattan Lal — who died in the blast, alleged that though politicians assured them of providing compensation and a government job to the kin, they did not bother to fulfil their promises.

In mid-February, the organisations held a massive protest at the Putlighar Chowk area. The dharna was lifted after Congress MLA Raj Kumar Verka reached the spot and assured the family of all possible help.