With the Jat community threatening to resume their quota agitation in Haryana from June 5, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar lal on Monday said that the State Government is geared up to tackle the quota agitation and only peaceful demonstrations would be allowed in the State.
Facing flak from various quarters for the large-scale violence during February's Jat reservation stir in Haryana, the Chief Minister, while talking to mediapersons said that the no one would be allowed to take the law in their hands and disturb the peace in the State.
"In a democratic set-up, everyone has a right to express their views in a peaceful manner. Both the Government and the administration have to adopt a required procedure to maintain law and order. We have urged the Jat community to ensure a peaceful environment during their protest," said the Chief Minister, adding that talks are also on with the Jat community to call off their agitation scheduled for June 5.
When asked about the Punjab and Haryana High Court's stay on reservation to Jats and five other communities in Haryana, he said that the court case is going on and the Haryana Government would present its case in the HC at the earliest and would make all possible efforts to get the stay vacated.
A day before, the Akhil Bharatiya Jat Aarakshan Sangharsh Samiti (ABJASS) had announced that it would resume agitation for job quota in Haryana from June 5. ABJASS president Yashpal Malik had alleged that Jats were promised that those arrested during the Jat quota stir earlier would be released and compensation given to kin of those killed or the injured but the State Government failed to fulfil its promises.
The Jats had earlier agitated in Haryana in February to press their demand for reservation in Government jobs and educational institutions. In the violence, 30 people were killed and more than 300 were injured and property worth hundreds of crores was destroyed in February.
The Haryana Government had on May 13 notified the Haryana Backward Classes (Reservation in services and admission in educational institutions) Act, 2016, to provide reservation to Jats and five other communities. However, the Punjab and Haryana HC issued an interim order to put on hold the quota approved by the State Government.
The Jat community subsequently threatened to re-launch their agitation from June 5, following which Haryana Government has made arrangements to maintain law and order situation in the State.
District Administration Sonipat has already imposed prohibitory orders from May 28 to July 27 in the district to ward off any tension, fights, threats to human life, damage to property and deterioration in the law-and-order situation. Apart from this, K Makrand Pandurang, Sonipat District Magistrate has also imposed ban on the sale of loose petrol and diesel in the district. Directions have been issued to petrol pump owners and oil companies in this regard.
Also, central police forces have been deployed in seven sensitive districts in Haryana namely Jind, Kaithal, Bhiwani, Hisar, Sonepat, Jhajjar and Rohtak. These districts had witnessed widespread violence during the February 2016 stir. The security forces are regularly conducting flag marches in the cities.
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Meanwhile, the Haryana Government has directed all Deputy Commissioners and Police Commissioners in the State to prepare details of moveable and immovable properties of those accused of giving inflammatory speeches resulting in agitation and violence during February's Jat agitation in the State.
Citing the Justice Thomas Committee report of the Supreme Court about damage to public property, the Haryana Government has directed the Deputy Commissioners and local police to prepare such details.
The Thomas report provides for recovery of damages caused to public and private property from perpetrators, or participants of violence, directly or indirectly named the cases.
During Jat agitation, Haryana had witnessed large-scale violence with rampaging mobs looting and setting shops on fire, burning of Government and private buildings and vehicles and clashing with security forces in several districts of the State.