A day after Police booked a person in a case of sedition for allegedly using uncharitable remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, political temperatures soared in Haryana amidst the ongoing Jat agitation.
Sombir, a resident of Jassia village in Rohtak district, was booked under sections 124 A (sedition) and 153 A (promoting enmity between groups) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) late Monday night.
When the Jat community was observing ‘Balidaan Divas’ on Sunday at Rohtak, Sombir in the presence of Jat leader Yashpal Malik had made uncharitable remarks against the Prime minister and had threatened violence against him. The message went viral on social media.
While the cabinet ministers who met Chief Minister Manohar lal during routine informal cabinet meeting on Tuesday at his residence demanded a strict action against Sombir for issuing such statement, the Jat protestors, reportedly, roughed up media at Jassia village dharna in Rohtak and even banned media from covering the dharna spot.
The Chief Minister on Tuesday morning held a meeting with cabinet ministers to take stock of the situation during the ongoing Jat stir and later, also reviewed security arrangements made in the state.
After the meeting, Minister of State for Cooperation Manish Kumar Grover alleged that Sombir is a Congress leader and is very close to former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda. By issuing such statements, people are trying to vitiate the environment in Haryana and strict action should be taken against such people, said Grover.
On the other hand, Yashpal Malik, chief of Akhil Bhartiya Jat Aarakshan Sangharsh Samiti (ABJASS), which is spearheading the ongoing Jat agitation, accused the media of showing wrong facts about ongoing Jat stir.
Following Sombir being booked in a sedition case, Malik also made an appeal to the Jat community to not let those speak, who use derogatory words against others at the dharna.
Referring to the incident of media being roughed up by Jat youths at Jassia village, Malik said that this would not happen again.
A day before, the second round of talks between protesting Jats and government’s five members committee had remained unsuccessful even as the State Government had agreed to form a four-member panel to look into the demand of withdrawal of pending cases against Jats for violence during last year’s stir.
Announcing that the Jat dharnas which entered its 24th day in Haryana would continue, Yashpal Malik said that large number of members of the Jat community continued with their protests at different places in Haryana on Tuesday. Our protests remained peaceful, he said.
Malik added that the agitation got a boost as Kandela khap at Ikkas village in Jind district extended its support to the protesters, while Satrol khap supported the community at Uggrakheri village in Panipat.
He also reiterated that February 26 would be observed as "Black Day" by Jats and the community members will wear black turbans, ribbons and arm bands to protest the government's policies.
From March 1, the protesters will not cooperate with the government. No one will pay power, water bills and instalment of loans that they owe to the government, said he.
The Jats from Delhi and Uttar Pradesh would protest in the national capital on March 2 and submit a memorandum on the quota issue to the President. They have also planned to gherao the Parliament, the date for which will be announced on March 2.
Besides seeking quota in education and government jobs under Other Backward Classes category, the demands of the Jats include release of those jailed during last year's agitation, withdrawal of cases slapped during the protest and government jobs for the kin of those killed and injured while taking part in the stir.
In view of the fresh Jat stir, paramilitary forces have been deployed in sensitive areas, while the state police is maintaining a strict vigil. Police are also keeping a vigil near the statues of various state icons in sensitive districts to thwart any act of vandalism.
As many as 31 people were killed and property worth crores of rupees was damaged at many places in the state during last year's Jat stir, which had turned violent.
Rohtak and some of its neighbouring districts, including Sonipat and Jhajjar, were the worst hit by the violence.