Jat stir: 4,800 paramilitary personnel deployed, administration on high alert

Chandigarh: Ahead of the proposed Jat quota agitation from Sunday, security arrangements in Haryana have been tightened with the deployment of 4,800 paramilitary personnel and the administration is on high alert. “Besides adequate deployment of police personnel, as many as 48 companies of paramilitary forces have been deployed at various places in the state keeping in view the stir call from tomorrow. We have asked for 15 more companies from the Centre,” Haryana Additional Chief Secretary (Home), Ram Niwas said on Saturaday. He said, “we are not taking any chance,” even though only one group was going ahead with the dharna. He also said that police and paramilitary forces have been deployed to guard the Western Yamuna Canal in Sonipat district. Protesters had disrupted water supply to the national capital by damaging the Carrier-Lined Channel (CLC) of Munak Canal during the earlier Jat agitation in February. The administration has specified one spot in each district where people can peacefully hold dharna, officials said. [caption id=“attachment_2817108” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Representational image. Reuters[/caption] However, officials said they were wary of the fact that protesters may attempt to block national highways and rail tracks, like in February, and therefore they have put maximum security to prevent a repeat of the situation. Haryana Police has cancelled leave of all personnel except in emergency cases till further orders. Prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the CrPc have already been imposed in seven sensitive districts of Haryana barring gathering of five or more persons and paramilitary forces have been conducting flag marches during the past few days . Police are keeping a close watch on anyone trying to spread rumours or make inflammatory statements through social media. “Adequate security measures have been taken. We are fully prepared to deal with the situation,” Additional Director General of Police Mohammad Akil said. “The police stations are stocked adequately equipped to dead with any kind of protest,” he said. While Khap Panchayats have opted out of the proposed agitation and dharnas from 5 June, All India Jat Aarakshan Sangharsh Samiti (AIJASS) has given a call for the protest. Jat community leaders, however, have assured Haryana government that they will maintain peace during the proposed pro-quota protest. The AIJASS Hisar district president Rambhagat Malik said, “We are committed to holding dharnas in a peaceful manner.” He also said that apart from quota for the Jat community, “We are demanding withdrawal of cases registered against our leaders and youths during the stir in February”. However, the head of Jat Aarakshan Sangharsh Samiti, Nafe Singh Nain, yesterday said they will not participate in the protest slated for 5 June. Thirty people were killed and properties worth hundreds of crores of rupees were destroyed during the February quota agitation by Jats.