The Qaumi Insaaf Morcha’s call for a Punjab-wide bandh on August 21 over the release of Sikh prisoners has drawn a mixed response in Ludhiana, with SAD and Waris Punjab De backing the shutdown, bus operators announcing that around 800 buses will stay off the roads, and Congress leaders awaiting a decision from the state leadership.Manpreet Singh Ayali of Waris Punjab De said the organisation would support the bandh call given by the Qaumi Insaaf Morcha, describing it as a just demand. “Why are these Sikhs kept in jails? They must be freed,” Ayali said.Senior SAD leader Maheshinder Singh Grewal said the government needed to take a decision, alleging that there had been enough delay on the part of the Central Government.“Balwant Singh Rajoana has been in jail for the past several years. Why is he being kept in jail? A decision on his case should be made — either he should be denied release or he must be freed from jail. Why is his case not being heard? We support tomorrow’s bandh call,” Grewal said.Meanwhile, district Congress president Sanjay Talwar said he was not in a position to either support or oppose the bandh call, as the decision had to be taken at the state level.Jamhuri Kisan Sabha Punjab president Raghbir Singh Benipal said, “Why is the state government fighting for the release of one particular person? There are so many others lodged in different jails — all the ‘Bandi Singhs’ should be released. We are neither opposing nor supporting the call.”Meanwhile, Punjab general secretary of the Small Scale District Bus Operator Welfare Association, Jaswinder Singh Grewal, said the association supported the bandh call.“On August 21, from 7 am to 2 pm, we will shut down all the buses. We will not ply the buses tomorrow and there are about 800 buses, which will be off the roads in support of the bandh tomorrow,” he said.