Agitated by the complete failure of the administration in protecting the city and saving their establishments, the traders of Rohtak aired their grievances to Haryana Finance Minister Captain Abhimanyu and local MlA Manish Grover.
Jagmohan Mittal, the president of Haryana Automobile Dealers’ Association, whose brand new Maruti Nexa showroom was destroyed, said this incident is unprecedented in the history of the nation.
“While there have been riots before, but they have been on communal lines. It is the first time that such a large scale incident has happened on the lines of caste. I would say it is even worse than the riots during the Partition as at that time, police, administration and para-military were working. But this time, there was complete failure of local administration and paramilitary forces who were just silent witnesses,” Mittal said.
Pandit Suresh Kumar, whose shopping mall was burned to the ground, appealed to the Finance Minister that the Government should pay more than 100 per cent compensation to the victims so that those who burned our establishments think twice before doing it again.
DS Badhwar, MD of Badhwar Automotives, whose Chevrolet showroom along with a 2-acre stock-yard with around 150 cars was destroyed, asked if the social fiber of the community is lost, then where will people goIJ
“The rioters targeted specific establishments owned by non-Jat communities. They burnt down one car showroom to the ground while not throwing even a single stone at the other two that stand just next to that. Now we are thankful that they spared those two, but it shows how they specifically targeted some establishments while sparing others. They must have been given instructions,” he said.
Industrialist Rajesh Jain said he witnessed thousands of people burning establishments and Government offices in front of his eyes along with his family.
“I called everyone I knew. I called the local police, the fire brigade and even all the political leaders I knew. I only got sympathy. No one came to my rescue as I was holed up in my home with my family fearing for our lives as the rioters created havoc right outside my home burning Government offices and business establishments,” he said.