Massive traffic blockade at Rajiv Chowk in Ggn
GURUGRAM: Like many parts of the country, the Millennium City on Monday also felt the impact of the Bharat Bandh protests, called by Dalit organisation against the amendment in the SC/ST Atrocities Act.
Massive traffic jams blocked major roads of the city, with the Delhi-jaipur highway being the worst affected, as protestors flooded the busiest route of the city, especially at Hero chowk and Rajiv Chowk.
After hours of blockade, the protestors could only be evicted from the area in the afternoon.
A large number of police personnel were deployed at the stretch to ensure that no untoward incidents took place.
Other major roads where traffic blockades were reported included HUDA City Centre, Sohna Road, Maharja Agrasen Chowk and Gurdwara Road.
Police also placed barricades in other major road, which slowed down movement of traffic.
Gurugram Deputy Commissioner Vinay Pratap Singh ordered the imposition of Section-144 in sensitive areas and entrusted nine duty magistrates the task of maintaining law and order.
There were reports that many traders and businessmen, especially in the old Gurugram area, had closed their shops. There were also incidents of minor scuffles between protestors and law enforcement officials in some of areas of the district.
Unlike Faridabad and Panipat, where incidents of mass-scale violence were reported on Monday, Gurugram, by and large, remained peaceful despite being on the edge on account of massive protest.
After the protests by members of the Rajput community against the release of the Hindi film Padmavat in January, Monday’s protest was a major challenge for the Gurugram police, in terms of maintaining law and order.
“Every person has the democratic right to protest, but it should be done within the law. We have dealt with those protestors firmly who tried to adopt illegal means to justify their protests,” said a senior police official of Gurugram Police. NEW DELHI: Though there were no reports of Dalit protestors going violent in the national Capital on Monday, Lutyens’ Delhi came to a standstill as thousands of people gathered at Sansad Marg protesting against the Supreme Courtapproved amendments to the SC/ ST Atrocities Act, bringing traffic to a halt at many places.
The traffic situation worsened as protesters blocked roads outside Mandi House Metro station. Office goers travelling towards ITO found themselves stuck in jam-packed traffic.
Protesters also blocked one of the carriageways of Barakhamba Road, affecting vehicular movement on the stretch.
It was only around 6.30 pm that Delhi Traffic Police announced that Sansad Marg had been opened for regular traffic.
Earlier, the traffic police had a busy day tweeting about the jams and traffic obstructions across the Capital.
The demonstration had a massive effect on vehicular movements in the heart of Delhi in places like Connaught place, Janpath and Sansad Marg.
Moreover, obstruction was reported from the Shahdara district, where demonstrations affected the carriageway from Karkari More towards Karkardooma, due to demonstration near Dayanand Marg red light.
Traffic police personnel were seen appealing to people to avoid the stretch. The demonstrations also affected areas surrounding the Delhi-uttar Pradesh borders.
Motorists going towards Kalindi Kunj from Gazipur, Dallupura and DND Flyway were also stuck in serpentine traffic jams, due to the demostration.
Protesters had also gathered at Khajoori Chowk, sending traffic into a chaos. Vehicles had to be diverted, with cops repeatedly asking commuters to divert in case they were taking these road.
“The protest on various issues are increasing day by day afffceting common people like us. We are stuck. If you wanted to protest it is allowed but why block roads and cause mayhem,” said Madhui Chandra, a commuter.
Members of the Dalits community are protesting against a Supreme Court order, which, they say, dilutes the law meant to prevent atrocities against their community.
The Centre has filed a review petition in the Supreme Court, causing several Dalit organisations to call for a ‘Bharat Bandh’ across the country on Monday.