Army called in as violence hits Haryana, curfew in 2 districts

Rohtak (Haryana)

Army was called in today in nine districts of Haryana and curfew was imposed in two districts along with shoot-at-sight orders after one person died and 25 were injured during the Jat stir for quota which turned violent with mobs resorting to widespread arson.

The Centre also rushed 3,300 personnel of paramilitary forces as rampaging mobs held some policemen captive besides setting ablaze the house of state’s Finance Minister Abhimanyu and several government and private properties in Rohtak, Jhajjar, Hansi and several other parts of the state.

Schools were ordered to be closed tomorrow across the state and mobile internet services were suspended in almost all the districts.

The agitationists, who are seeking reservation under Economically Backward Classes, also targeted police and private vehicles, buildings housing offices, including two Toll Plazas at Hansi in Hissar district and near Rohtak, both located on the Delhi-Hisar-Fazilka National Highway.

One protestor was killed in Rohtak when the BSF personnel opened fire in “self-defence” after someone from the rampaging mob fired at and injured a BSF jawan, Haryana DGP Yashpal Singhal told a press conference in Chandigarh.

“There is only one death while three are critically injured,” said Rohtak Deputy Commissioner D K Behera late this evening dismissing media reports that two more people have died in the BSF firing.

Vice-Chancellor of Rohtak-based Pandit Bhagwat Dayal Sharma University of Health Sciences, O P Kalra also said there was only one death.

“Death of more persons is just a rumour. There was only one death and he was brought dead in our emergency,” he said, adding a total of 62 patients were admitted to PGIMS hospital for treatment.

“Out of them 22 had bullet injuries while rest of had physical injuries,” he said.

“Out of total patients, three were still critical who are in ICU. Of them, one patient has injury in head while two have abdominal bullet injuries,” he further said.

Among injured, five were security personnel, he further said.

Since the situation was going out of control, army has been called in for deployment in eight worst-affected districts — Rohtak, Jhajjar, Jind, Bhiwani, Hissar, Kaithal, Panipat and Sonipat, the state police chief said.

Army is also being rushed to Karnal, army sources said in Delhi, while informing that nine columns are being sent altogether.

Tonight, curfew was imposed in city limit areas of Rohtak and Bhiwani city limit areas, an official spokesman told PTI.

The agitation, which has been going on for last few days, escalated and turned violent soon after an all-party meeting held by Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar issued an appeal for calling it off.

The protesters rejected the appeal even as Khattar gave an assurance that a solution will be worked out to extend reservation to the community.

Army units were being rushed to Rohtak from nearby Cantonment at Hissar, about 50 kms away, the official spokesman said, adding these will be deployed immediately in Rohtak and Bhiwani areas.

BJP MP’s residence attacked in Kaithal

Kaithal

Agitating members of Jat community demanding reservation tonight pelted stones at a residence of local BJP MP Raj Kumar Saini here, police said.

Around 50 persons attacked the Saini’s residence at Sector 19 here, damaging window panes. Some adjoining houses were also damaged in the stone pelting, police said.

Saini had earlier expressed objection over giving reservation to Jats and even threatened to resign if there was “any loss” to reservation quota for OBCs.

No security personnel were deployed at the Saini’s residence where he comes every few days to hear grievances since Kaithal falls in his Kurukshetra Parliamentary constituency.

Meanwhile, unidentified persons looted some weapons from a gun house (shop) at Rohtak tonight, police said, adding that a search has been launched for the miscreants.

Agitators set fire Haryana Minister’s school, mall

Rohtak

A school, belonging to a state Minister Capt Abhimanyu, and a shopping mall in the city were today set on fire by the agitating Jat community members, who are protesting across the state seeking reservation in the government jobs under OBC category.

Police said the protesters set on fire a school, R N Mall and shops adjacent to it in the city.

Earlier, the agitators had burnt the house of the Minister, who represents Jat community, and camp office of the local BJP MLA Manish Kumar Grover at his residence here.

The minister, who holds key Finance portfolio in Manohar Lal Khattar-led government, said he was saddened by the arson across various places in the state.

Appealing for peace, he said he was in favour of finding a solution to the issue and with the community members but opposed to arson.

Meanwhile, the protesters also set on fire the roadways workshop here besides setting on blaze around four state owned transport buses.

Rohtak is under curfew with authorities have ordered shoot at sight to maintain law and order.

In a statement, released tonight, Abhimanyu said he was deeply hurt due to incidents of violence and setting on fire of property in Rohtak and other places in Haryana today.

“I have always supported and worked for reservation for Jats and worked with fully honesty in this direction. I standby the community on his issue,” he was quoted as saying in the statement.

He said on the issue of reservation of Jats, government was also serious and working to find a solution.

“I am more hurt by the loss of life at Rohtak as compared with incident of stone pelting and setting on fire my residence in Rohtak today,” he said, adding that he was not bothered about financial loss that he had suffered “but the loss of life of youth could not be undone”.

Unable to get ventilator support man dies amid Jat stir
Jind

A cancer patient died at a hospital here this evening as he could not be shifted to a specialty hospital because of the massive blockade caused due to the Jat agitation, his family claimed.

Anand, a resident of Gandhinagar in the district, was suffering from brain cancer, and was taken to the Civil Hospital in Narwana, one of his family members said.

Finding the patient in a serious condition, the doctors at the hospital referred him to the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Science at Rohtak, which is over 100 km from here, they said.

“All the routes were blocked due to the ongoing agitation by the Jat community and amid the violent stir they could not gather courage to take the patient from here to the PGI. We stayed in the hospital where he died after two hours,” the family member said.

“He was a brain cancer patient and needed to be on ventilator. Had he been put on ventilator in time, his life could have been saved,” said Dr Himanshu of the Narwana Civil Hospital.

Situation in many areas in Haryana worsened today with Jats agitating over reservation issue going on rampage.

Following severe incidents of violence, curfew was imposed tonight in Rohtak and Bhiwani city limit areas and army rushed there.

3300 paramilitary personnel rushed to Har; Rajnath speaks to Khattar

New Delhi

The Centre today rushed 3300 paramilitary personnel to Haryana and assured Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar of all possible help to maintain law and order as the Jat stir for quota turned violent in the state.

3300 paramilitary personnel have been sent to assist the state government in maintaining law and order as there been several incidents of violence in Haryana following the Jat agitation demanding quota, a Home Ministry official said.

Concerned over the volatile situation, Home Minister Rajnath Singh called up the Haryana Chief Minister, who briefed him about the prevailing situation in the state.

The Home Minister also assured the Chief Minister all possible help to the state government in controlling the situation, the official said.

Singh later appealed to the people to maintain peace and order and stressed on the need for discussion and dialogue.

He also condoled the death of a protestor today.

“I appeal to my brothers and sisters of Haryana to maintain peace and order in the state,” Singh said in a tweet.

“My deepest condolence to the family of the individual who got killed in Haryana violence today,” he said in another tweet.

“The incident of violence in certain parts of Haryana is very unfortunate. In a democracy solution to any problem lies in discussion &dialogue,” he added.

Army was called in today in nine districts of Haryana and curfew was imposed in two districts along with shoot-at-sight orders after one person died and 25 were injured during the Jat stir for quota which turned violent with mobs resorting to widespread arson.

Rampaging mobs held some policemen captive besides setting ablaze the house of state’s Finance Minister Abhimanyu and several government and private properties in Rohtak, Jhajjar, Hansi and several other parts of the state.

The agitationists seeking reservation under Economically Backward Classes, also targeted police and private vehicles, buildings housing offices, including two Toll Plazas at Hansi in Hissar district and near Rohtak, both located on the Delhi-Hisar-Fazilka National Highway.

Meanwhile, security has been beefed up around the residence of BJP MP Raj Kumar Saini in Kurukshetra who was criticised by agitators for his alleged anti-Jat quota remarks.

Security has been tightened around the house of Kurukshetra MP, official sources said here.

Saini had earlier expressed objection over giving reservation to Jats and even threatened to resign if there was “any loss” to reservation quota for OBCs.

Reaching out to Jats, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar today said Saini’s remarks against Jat quota should be considered as withdrawn”.

Jat leaders reject appeal of political parties to call off stir

Chandigarh

Jat leaders today rejected an appeal by political parties in Haryana to call off their quota protest even as Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar gave an assurance that a solution will be worked out to extend reservation to the community.

The appeal to the Jat leaders was made by the parties at a meeting convened by Khattar to discuss the demands of the community and find a way out to end the impasse.

However, the agitators refused to withdraw their protest till a legislation is passed giving quota to the community under OBC category and accused Khattar of having “casteist mentality” saying he did not belong to the community.

Meanwhile, mobile Internet and SMS services were suspended indefinitely by the authorities in violence-hit Rohtak in the wake of the agitation spreading in the district.

Trains on the Delhi-Ambala and Hisar-Dhuri routes were hit as the protesters squatted on railway tracks as part of their plan to intensify the stir.

“The political parties have appealed to the agitating Jats to call off their protest to maintain peace and harmony in the state.

“Our first priority is that the Jat agitation should end today and peace maintained in the state. A way will be worked out to give reservation to Jats,” Khattar said after the meeting.

He said blocking roads and hampering rail services were not the “right way” to hold an agitation.

Normal life has been severely affected in various parts of Haryana with the agitation hitting supply of essential commodities like milk, vegetables, LPG and petroleum products.

“Supplies of petroleum products are hit in Rohtak, Bhiwani and Jind due to the agitation,” an official said.

“Some of the fuel pumps in these districts have even gone dry. Similarly, the supply of LPG cylinders has also been affected in these areas,” the official said.

Asked about BJP MP Raj Kumar Saini’s remarks against Jat quota, Khattar said Kurukshetra MP’s statement “should be considered as withdrawn”.

Saini had earlier expressed objection over giving reservation to Jats and had even threatened to resign if there was “any loss” to reservation quota for OBCs.

State BJP President Subhash Barala said that “the Haryana CM has said that the state government is ready to take every step to give reservation to Jats. Opposition parties have promised us support in the Assembly on the issue.”

Former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda also made an appeal for maintenance of peace and harmony in the state as there were “some forces” which were trying to create tension among the people.

“The CM has assured that a solution will be worked out after holding discussion with agitating Jats. The solution should be such that nobody should suffer and everybody should benefit. We have told the government to take a decision in this regard on an urgent basis,” Hooda said.

INLD State President Ashok Arora asked the state government to seek an apology from Saini for his anti-Jat quota remarks.

“We have also told the government that if the Tamil Nadu government can give reservation to its people by amending law, then the Haryana government should also follow the same route to give reservation to Jats.

“However, it is for the government to take a decision. We also appeal to the protesting Jats to maintain peace in the interest of the state,” Arora said.

The meeting was also attended by CLP leader Kiran Chaudhary, Haryana Congress Chief Ashok Tanwar and Arora.

Divisional Railway Manager, Ambala Division, Dinesh Kumar said, “Rail services at Hisar-Dhuri track were blocked at 12 noon today. Movement of trains on Delhi-Ambala track was also stopped at around 1 PM today because of the Jat protest.”

The Delhi-Amritsar track has also been affected because of the protests, he said, adding the agitators had blocked trains between Sonepat and Panipat.

“We are trying to divert trains via Saharanpur for Delhi. We will have to cancel some trains as we cannot divert all of them,” he said.

Jats block road, National Highway for third consecutive day

Jind

Jat protesters demanding reservation for the community under the OBC category blocked roads and National highway for third consecutive day in Jind district.

Almost all the main roads and NH-65 and NH-71 at six places passing through Jind district were blocked besides five state highways at 12 places.

Apart from these, about 30 link roads in the district which include Jind-Patiala, Jind-Panipat, Jind-Rohtak, Jind-Hansi, Jind-Gohana, Jind-Kaithal and Jind-Bhiwani roads were also blocked.

Due to the blockade residents of Jind are facing great hardship and inconvenience as the essential commodities are said to be in short supply.

Many passengers stranded at the local bus stand as Haryana Roadways buses of Jind Depot remained off the roads for the second day today.

BJP warns of stern steps to deal with Jat protest in Haryana

New Delhi

BJP today said the Jat agitation for reservation has become leaderless and was being fuelled by “anarchists” and warned that those indulging in violence will be dealt with sternly.

The party’s tough stand came in the wake of the death of a person in police firing after the protest turned violent.

BJP General Secretary and Haryana in-charge Anil Jain, who is playing a key role in coordinating the response of the central and state governments as well as the party, said the agitation has turned violent and “military” could also be sent if needed.

“They (protesters) know the reality. The state government is doing everything within its powers. We had been dealing with them patiently. It is not possible that they keep attacking and we coddle them,” he told reporters here.

10 companies of para-military forces have been dispatched to the violence-hit area, he said, adding that police fired after the attack on an Inspector General and the residence of Haryana Finance Minister Abhimanyu and police vehicles were torched.

Jain said the state government had called an all-party meeting today and been engaging with the Jat leaders.

Some leaders accepted the government’s steps and withdrew their protest, he said and alleged that a section of people, “who are anti-social and anarchists” is fuelling the protest and causing it to turn violent.

“The death is painful but we cannot allow the situation to worsen. We cannot allow the law and order to deteriorate,” he said, noting that places like Rohtak were under a virtual siege by protestors.

He underlined BJP’s support for quota for Jats but noted that the issue had become “complex” after the Supreme Court struck down the decision of the previous government in this regard and then quashed a review petition as well.

“The central government is speaking to different groups of Jats. It is working to find a solution that addresses their demand and also meet the constitutional requirements,” Jain said.

PTI