Jamshedpur Sikh community protests Jallianwala Bagh express cancellation at Tatanagar Station

Demand immediate withdrawal of train suspension; oppose VIP parking gate closure

Jamshedpur, Oct 24: Members of the Sikh community, led by the Central Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee (CGPC), staged a strong protest at Tatanagar Railway Station on Thursday against the three-month cancellation of the Jallianwala Bagh Express. The protesters termed the Railway Board’s decision to suspend the train from December 1 to February 27, citing fog, as “arbitrary and unjustified.”

Carrying placards and raising slogans against the railway administration, the protesters submitted a memorandum to Station Director Sunil Kumar demanding the immediate restoration of the train service. The memorandum stated that if the decision is not revoked within a week, the Sikh community will intensify its agitation with larger demonstrations, sit-ins, and possible rail blockades at Tatanagar.

Copies of the memorandum were also sent to the Railway Minister, the General Manager of South Eastern Railway, the Divisional Railway Manager of Chakradharpur, and the Regional Manager. Protesters raised slogans expressing anger and disappointment over what they called an “anti-passenger decision” that would inconvenience regular travellers between Tatanagar and Amritsar.

Station Director Sunil Kumar assured the delegation that their concerns would be conveyed to higher authorities for immediate consideration.

Tension escalated further when protesters discovered that the station’s entry and exit gates had been locked in the name of VIP parking. Many devotees and local residents, unable to park their vehicles inside, were forced to leave them on the main road. The move sparked additional outrage among the gathering, prompting not only the Sikh community but also members of other communities to join the protest.

A second round of demonstrations broke out outside the Station Director’s office, where protesters demanded that the VIP parking restrictions be removed immediately. In response, the Station Director assured them that the issue would be discussed with senior officials and resolved soon.

Prominent participants in the protest included CGPC President Bhagwan Singh, Chairman Sardar Shailendra Singh, Senior Vice President Narendra Pal Singh, General Secretary Guru Charan Singh Billa, Advisor Parvinder Singh Sohal, and several other office bearers and representatives from different Gurudwaras across the city.

The protest concluded peacefully, with the community vowing to continue their campaign until the Jallianwala Bagh Express is restored.