With a section of Jats all set to resume the quota agitation in Haryana from January 29, raising fears of recurrence of violence, the Manohar lal Khattar Government has geared up to meet any eventuality.
The authorities have started mobilising security forces in various places of Haryana to maintain the law and order situation during the proposed agitation.
Police personnel and para-military forces have been stationed in sensitive districts like Sonipat, Rohtak, Jhajjar, Jind and Fatehabad to ensure law and order. The security forces also conducted flag march on Saturday in various parts of the state. In Rohtak, Sonipat, Sirsa districts, orders have been imposed under Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code, prohibiting any assembly of five or more people at any place.
A close vigil is also being maintained across the state including on national highways and railway tracks which the protesters had blocked for several days during the previous phase of Jat quota agitation in February last year. Akhil Bharatiya Jat Arakshan Sangharsh Samiti (ABJASS) led by Yashpal Malik has announced fresh agitation in 19 districts of the state from Sunday onwards. Malik had announced that peaceful indefinite dharnas in villages will be held till their demands are fulfilled.
The Jats are demanding reservation, compensation to the next of the kin who died during Jat agitation last year, withdrawal of FIRs registered against innocent Jat youth in Haryana.
Haryana Additional Chief Secretary, Home, Ram Niwas while talking to the mediapersons said, “The State Government had sent a requisition for 55 companies of central paramilitary forces to the Centre to maintain the law and order situation in the state. 37 companies of central paramilitary forces have been allotted to us so far and more companies are likely to be allotted soon.”
Ram Niwas said that permission for peaceful protest has been given and no one would be allowed to indulge in violence during the agitation. We would act strictly against the accused in case of violence and follow the Supreme Court guidelines that provides for recovery of damages caused to public and private property from perpetrators, or participants of violence, he added.
The State Government has already cancelled leaves of all its police personnel, divisional commissioners, deputy commissioner, additional deputy commissioners, sub divisional officers, tehsildars, district development & panchayat officers, block development & panchayat officers, naib tehsildars till further orders. The deputy commissioners, commissioners of police and superintendents of police have also been directed to undertake people contact programme in the wake of the call for agitation. They have also been asked to ensure the security of all major critical points like drinking water supply to Delhi in Karnal and Sonipat. The State Government has also directed the divisional commissioners and deputy commissioners to send situation report relating to their divisions or districts to Chief Secretary’s office everyday.
During Jat agitation last February, districts namely Rohtak,Jhajjar, Sonepat, Jind, Hisar, Kaithal and Bhiwani had witnessed large scale violence. As many as 30 people were killed and 320 injured and property worth hundreds of crores of rupees was destroyed in Haryana during the violence.
Following this, Haryana Government had on May 13 last year 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 High Court issued an interim order to put on hold the quota approved by the State Government.