Bracketed as a fast emerging industrial town of Haryana, Rohtak invites job seekers from other States. Many of whom felt their dreams being shattered as angry Jat pro-reservation mob destroyed whatever came in their way. They burnt. looted, plundered shops and business establishments and impacted the lives of thousands of families. The gravity of the situation in Rohtak is such that it now resembles a ‘ghost town’.
People from communities other than Jats are at loss of words to explain the quantum of loss. The mob driven agitation to demand reservations to Jats in Government jobs has severed the bond of trust among the communities and it may require some serious action from the Jat leaders themselves to regain the lost ground.
The Pioneer spoke to people affected by the Jat agitation. Majority of them migrants from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh whose lives have turned 360 degrees during the fury that had engulfed the entire city of Rohtak.
Rajesh Srivastava, hails from Bihar came to industrial town to earn his living but agitation has adversely impacted on his cubicle food shop. “My kiosk was closed for ten days due to curfew stage and now, I have to shut it before evening to reach home safely. I endured Rs ten thousand loss but nobody will compensate to people like us. “Hamari value hi kya h in jaton k shehr mein” (who will value or ask us in jat city) said Srivastva , whose source of income is food kiosk outside to an auto mobile company.
Small traders and kiosk owners like Rajesh are not feeling safe and not willing to speak openly about the incident however some of them willing to go back to their native place. Amit, from Biwani district of Haryana state, worked as driver in Rohtak but now he has left his job, “Though I am jat but to work here in industrial area is to put my life on risk and now am assisting my father in agriculture,” he said who came to the city to met his officials of previous job.
Rohtash Jindal owner of confectionary on the outskirts of the town said that the attack by rabble group was very selective. “Shop owners like me here are under the fear, we are worried about our families when we are at shop,” said Jindal.
Besides this, the daily expenditure has become costlier in Rohtak because transportation was affected during the period of agitation.
Tina, a homemaker and teacher said that ramifications of violence in city has resulted in the skyrocketing of the prices of essential commodities. “The prices of grocery, milk, bread are up,” said she.
Jagdeep, a Government employee in Electricity department said that daily needs have adversely impacted on the pocket of common man, “The passage of trucks was stopped during agitation and even now after 7 pm conditions are not normal here. Stocks (rations) are limited in shops. The situation can improve only after the supplies are restored in the city,” he added.