Phagwara: The Ambedkar Sena has called off the bandh scheduled for today following the release of their activists who were arrested yesterday to prevent a clash between them and Hindu outfits.

Tension gripped the area till late yesterday after the removal of hoardings of Dr B. R. Ambedkar at a bus stand here. Some Hindu outfits, including the Shiv Sena, had taken umbrage to the "objectionable" language used in the two hoardings.

Ambedkar Sena activists were outraged at the removal thinking that only hoardings of Dr Ambedkar were being removed. They claimed that the hoardings carried the life and philosophy of Dr B R Ambedkar.

To prevent clashes between Ambedkar Sena activists and Hindu outfits, the police had arrested 79 activists, including their state president Harbhajan Suman.

The authorities convinced the activists that all boards and banners had been removed from the National Highway No 1 on the direction of Punjab and Haryana High Court, which has described them a distraction to road users.

The move came after a prolonged negotiation between an 11-member committee of Ambedkar Sena and the administration represented by Phagwara, Sub Divisional Magistrate Amarjit Pal.

About 100 such hoardings, boards and banners were removed from the stretch of GT road passing through here.
Source : PTI