Delhi Police on Wednesday took stock of its preparedness for the Jat agitation that is likely to reach the national Capital on March 20. In a top level meeting chaired by the Delhi Police Commissioner Amulya Patnaik and attended by the Special Commissioners of Police (law and Order), Joint Commissioners of Police, Deputy Commissioners of Police, Assistant Commissioners of Police and Station House Officers (SHO), several issues pertaining to the safety and security of the Parliament House were discussed.
All stations of Delhi Metro in the vicinity of the Parliament House and New Delhi district will be closed and Delhi Police will also keep an eye on EMU shuttles that run between neighbouring cities of Haryana and Delhi. The entire Delhi district will be out of bounds as Delhi Police has drawn a detailed plan to stop the Jat protesters in their tracks, a senior police official said on being asked about the measures being contemplated by the Delhi Police to deal with the Jat agitation.
Delhi Police officials are in regular touch with the Haryana and Uttar Pradesh Police and Intelligence is being gathered to assess the number of the people who may try to come to the city to take part in the proposed agitation on March 20, around Parliament House to press for reservation to Jat community in Central Government jobs.
A senior Delhi Police officer said that all routes leading to the national capital will be blocked to prevent people from entering the city. People travelling to Delhi on tractor trollies would not be allowed since tractors are banned for being used for transportation purposes. The Motor Vehicle Act has provisions in this regard, the official added.
Anticipating big crowd, Delhi Police has identified three stadiums that will be used as temporary jail, the official said.
Madhur Verma the Delhi Police spokesman said, “In light of the Jat agitation planned to take place in Delhi, the Delhi Police held a meeting with the Delhi Police Commissioner and all senior police officers. In the meeting, it was decided that no car, tractor or trolley will be allowed entry on March 20. Taking due order from the Supreme Court, we will impound the vehicle at the border area itself. Apart from the heavy deployment of the Anti Riot Cell of the Delhi Police, we will seek deployment of the outside force and due permission of the Anti Riot Equipment will be sought.
“To ensure that the public of Delhi is not inconvenienced due to the agitation, we will take appropriate measures. The safety and security of the general public will be our top most priority.”
It may be noted that on March 1, National President of the Jat Agitation, Yashpal Malik had said, “We have asked people to bring all their vehicles, including tractors and trucks, and animals like buffaloes, along with tents and necessary materials for survival. We won’t move until our demands are met.”
He had further said they will also do a gherao of the Parliament and announced the movement as ‘Delhi Kooch’. “The common man will suffer, we know that. But we are also the common citizens of this country and we will have to do this for us,” he added.