Mohali is set to witness a significant march on Saturday as the Kaumi Insaaf Morcha plans to move towards Chandigarh’s Raj Bhavan, pressing for the release of Bandi Singhs and seeking parole for Jagtar Singh Hawara. The march will begin from Mohali and head towards the official residence of Punjab Governor Gulab Chand Kataria in Chandigarh, bringing a long-standing issue of Sikh prisoners and their release back into public focus.
The proposed march has prompted the Chandigarh Police to strengthen security arrangements along the Mohali-Chandigarh border. Barricades have been placed at key points to regulate the movement of people and vehicles as authorities prepare for the possibility of a large gathering.
Police personnel have also been deployed at major roads and other strategic locations across the city. The security measures are aimed at maintaining law and order and managing traffic during the march, particularly around areas that could experience increased movement as participants approach Chandigarh.
The Kaumi Insaaf Morcha has been raising demands linked to the release of Bandi Singhs, a term commonly used in Sikh circles for Sikh prisoners who supporters say have completed their legal sentences but remain incarcerated. The issue has remained politically and socially sensitive in Punjab, where demands concerning the prolonged imprisonment of Sikh prisoners have periodically led to demonstrations and public campaigns.
Among the demands being highlighted during the march is parole for Jagtar Singh Hawara. Hawara, who is serving a sentence in connection with the assassination of former Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh, has remained a prominent name in discussions surrounding Sikh prisoners. His parole has been a recurring demand among sections of the Sikh community and organisations supporting the cause.
The march towards the Governor’s residence carries significance because the Raj Bhavan represents the constitutional office of the Governor in Punjab. By taking their demands to the Governor, the organisers are seeking to draw attention to the issue at the highest constitutional level available to them in the state.
The planned demonstration is also expected to bring together representatives of several religious and political organisations. Their participation could give the march a broader public and political character, while also increasing the number of people expected to gather along the route.
For Chandigarh authorities, the immediate challenge will be to maintain security while managing traffic movement between Mohali and Chandigarh. The border between the two cities is one of the busiest points in the region, and any significant gathering or restriction can affect commuters travelling between Punjab’s administrative capital and Chandigarh.
The decision to install barricades before the march reflects the administration’s preparations for possible crowd movement. Police deployment at important junctions and strategic locations is expected to help authorities respond quickly to any changes in the situation and prevent disruption around sensitive areas.
The issue of Bandi Singhs has remained a deeply emotive subject in Punjab for years. Supporters of their release argue that prisoners who have completed the sentences imposed by courts should not continue to remain behind bars. The demand has repeatedly appeared in political debates, religious gatherings and protest campaigns.
At the same time, matters concerning parole, imprisonment and release fall within established legal and administrative procedures. Any decision involving an individual prisoner’s release or parole depends on the applicable law, court orders and decisions of the competent authorities.
The Kaumi Insaaf Morcha’s march therefore places the issue once again in the public spotlight. Its progress will be closely watched by supporters of the campaign as well as authorities responsible for maintaining security in Chandigarh and Mohali.
With religious and political representatives expected to participate, the size and character of the gathering could determine how extensively the march affects traffic and public movement in the two cities. Police arrangements at the border and across key routes indicate that authorities are preparing for a substantial mobilisation.
As the protesters move towards Raj Bhavan, the central focus of the demonstration will remain their demand for the release of Bandi Singhs and parole for Jagtar Singh Hawara. The march is expected to serve as another public expression of a demand that has remained active in Punjab’s political and social discourse for a considerable period.
The developments surrounding the march will also be important from a law-and-order perspective. Authorities will have to balance the protesters’ right to raise their demands with the need to ensure that roads remain manageable and public movement is not unnecessarily disrupted.
For now, the heightened security presence at the Mohali-Chandigarh border and other strategic points marks the administration’s preparations for the planned mobilisation. The march towards Punjab Governor Gulab Chand Kataria’s Raj Bhavan will put renewed attention on the long-running issue of Bandi Singhs and the demand for Jagtar Singh Hawara’s parole.