Jat quota stir: National capital faces heat as violence spreads in Haryana

Protesters of the Jat agricultural community block a road near the Delhi University area in New Delhi. (AP photo)

CHANDIGARH: Haryana was on the edge on Sunday as fresh incidents of arson and violence shook the state with a ninth town being brought under curfew as the Jat agitation for quota under OBC entered the eighth day so far claiming 10 lives.



The Jat stir also hit Delhi with the Arvind Kejriwal government announcing closure of schools on Monday as part of water rationing after supply from Haryana was disrupted. The national capital also witnessed big traffic jams in some parts.



Ten persons have been killed and about 150 injured during the ongoing Jat stir, Haryana DGP Yashpal Singhal said even as claimed that steps were being taken to restore water supply to Delhi and clear road and rail blockades.

"According to the information we have so far, in the entire state 10 people have been killed and about 150 injured," he said.



As the situation turned volatile, Union home minister Rajnath Singh appealed for calm. "I appeal to all to maintain peace and ensure that there are no untoward incidents," he said.

The home minister met a delegation comprising minister of state for agriculture Sanjeev Kumar Balyan, BJP MP and former Mumbai Police commissioner Satyapal Singh and Haryana minister Abhimanyu to find a way to resolve the situation.



With violent protests by Jats escalating, Haryana minister Anil Vij today made it clear that talks cannot be held with a "mob" and said Jats should form a committee to hold parleys with the state government.



He said the agitation has become leaderless and "mobocracy" was prevailing.



Road and rail traffic through Haryana destined for North India from Delhi side remained disrupted with bus and train services remaining suspended. In the wake of shooting air fares airlines announced additional flights to Chandigarh and Amritsar on Sunday.

Curfew was imposed in Kaithal city in the wake of ongoing Jat agitation after tension erupted in the town due to protests by Jats and tussle between Jats and non-Jats.

With this, now Kaithal has become ninth city where curfew has been clamped after Rohtak, Bhiwani, Jhajjar, Jind, Hisar, Hansi, Sonipat and Gohana town of Sonipat district.

While several roads have been blocked in Kaithal, protesting Jats have put up a tent in the middle of Hissar-Chandigarh national highway to express their anger for not being included in OBC category.

Markets, shops and commercial establishments remained shut in the wake of violent protest unleashed by agitating Jats.

The protesters are adamant on their main demand of OBC quota in government jobs and rejected Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar's announcement of enhancement of the quota of reservation for Economically Backward Classes in the state from 10 to 20 per cent.


(Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com)

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