Jat stir violence: Probe panel makes strong comments against two top officials

Chandigarh

During the Jat mayhem in Haryana in February, the Additional Chief Secretary (Home) and DGP “fell short” of what could be expected of them, some officers at local level “deserted” duties and some did not act due to “caste bias”, according to a committee set up by the state government to inquire into the riots.

The Prakash Singh Committee also made strong observations against former Chief Ministers, saying they had “eroded the authority of certain institutions” with a view to concentrate powers in their own office and as a result “the office of the Chief Secretary does not command the power or enjoy the prestige it does in most other states.”

The panel, in its 451-page report on violence during the Jat quota stir, said the “administrative paralysis” had gripped the state and the “highest functionaries in the government failed to show the kind of guidance, direction and control that is expected in a crisis of such proportions”.

“The two officers who matter the most in the state, the Additional Chief Secretary (Home) and the Director General of Police, fell short of what could be expected of them in such a situation,” noted the committee headed by Singh, a retired IPS officer who had headed police forces of Uttar Pradesh and Assam besides the Border Security Force (BSF).

The committee, which has indicted 90 police and administrative officers for their “failure to act”, said “The Home Department was a washout, the Director General of Police failed to lead from the front, and the Additional Chief Secretary (Home) could not produce even one page of directions he may have issued to Deputy Commissioners and senior police officials in Sonepat during the Jat stir that rocked the state for a week in February.”

It said, “The Home Department did not issue any directions on the handling of the crisis, while the then DGP Yash Pal Singhal did not visit any of the affected areas, and also did not permit the next highest ranked officer to do so.”

The report, which significantly came at a time when Jats have threatened to launch their agitation afresh from June 5, said, “The Home Department also plays a somewhat subsidiary role in matters relating to law and order. These distortions need to be corrected to prevent a repeat of similar paralysis in the future.”

Describing the situation as “a horrific picture”, it said, “What was lacking was the will to act, the determination to prevent riotous mobs from assembling in the first instance and then dealing with them effectively while they were committing acts of violence, arson, loot or vandalism.”

The report, submitted to the High Court here yesterday, said, “Officers at the district level, barring a few honourable exceptions, just did not rise to the occasion. They were either unequal to the daunting situation they faced or they could not mobilise the full strength of the officers and men under their command, some of whom went missing or deserted their duties.”

It said the officers displayed cowardice, or hesitated to take strong action for fear that they would not be supported by the government, or deliberately avoided doing so because they had “a caste bias” which translated on the ground into “inaction against the rioters, connivance with the vandals, absence from duty/desertion, abetment of the hooligans”.

The committee also said that while there was no direction from the seniormost officials, a number of officers subscribed to the “philosophy of ‘chedogey to badhega’ (if you touch, it will increase)”.

Singh had submitted the report to the Haryana government on May 13.

Khattar had earlier said his government would make the report public, but later, he appeared to backtrack, saying the government will first study it.

It has, however, transferred four IPS and three IAS officers, including the then additional chief secretary (home) and director general of police, and suspended three officers of the Haryana Civil Services and 10 deputy superintendents of police. All are named in the report.

Security forces stage flag marches ahead of Jat quota stir

Chandigarh

With Jat community members set to hold sit-in demonstrations across the state on June 5 to press for reservation, security forces today staged flag-march in many districts, including Rohtak, as Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar said law and order would be maintained at any cost.

Central forces, along with the Haryana police, conducted the flag marches.

In Rohtak district, which was the epicentre of the Jat stir in February, police and Rapid Action Force personnel took out the flag marches. The police appealed to the public to help maintain law and order.

Security forces set up check points at several places at Rohtak’s entry and exit points.

Border Security Force personnel have been deployed on the outskirts of the town.

Khattar said that any kind of undesirable act, which threatens peace, would not be tolerated during the demonstration announced by members of the Jat community on June 5.

He said there was no objection to holding a peaceful demonstration. However, those who disturb law and order, would be dealt with strictly as per law, he told reporters here.

He said the government has made all arrangements to thwart any untoward incident.

Thirty people were killed during the Jat quota agitation violence in the state in February.

Asked about the report of Prakash Singh Committee being made public, the Chief Minister said that he had earlier said the report had been submitted to the Punjab and Haryana High Court and also made public, as per his earlier statement.

Replying to another question, he said the report was studied and action was being taken accordingly.

The Chief Minister said the Committee report has suggested departmental inquiry against many junior officers.

Departmental inquiry of such officers would be conducted and they are being asked for explanation. Further action would be taken on the basis of their replies, he added.

In addition to their reservation demand, the leaders of the Jat community have called for cancellation of FIRs registered against some of its members during the stir in February this year.

PTI