Jat stir intensifies: Section 144 imposed in eight Haryana districts

With the Jat community threatening to launch a fresh agitation for reservation, prohibitory orders under Section 144 (banning assembly of five or more persons) of the CrPC have been imposed in eight districts of Haryana. [caption id=“attachment_2806830” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] On Sunday, Section 144 was also imposed in Sonipat, which along with Rohtak had been the epicentre of the Jat quota agitation earlier this year. AFP[/caption] On Sunday, Section 144 was also imposed in Sonipat, which along with Rohtak had been the epicentre of the Jat quota agitation earlier this year, official sources said. While the Central Armed Police Forces were deployed in many sensitive districts – in Rohtak, Jhajjar, Sonipat, Hisar, Bhiwani, Jind and Kaithal – across the state, security has been strengthened at Munak canal, the sources said. Terming it to be an administrative move, Haryana Chief Minister Manoharlal Khattar said, “This is administrative work, whatever is required in an area is done. We have been assured of a peaceful protest on 5 June. Cannot take away the right of a peaceful protest from anybody.”

This is administrative work, whatever is required in an area is done:ML Khattar,Haryana CM on Sec 144 in 8 districts pic.twitter.com/xjJgesxCfZ

— ANI (@ANI) May 30, 2016

Protesters had disrupted water supply to the national capital by damaging the Carrier-Lined Channel (CLC) of Munak Canal during February’s agitation. Haryana Finance Minister Captain Abhimanyu had on Saturday said the government would not allow the recurrence of a similar situation in the state. Two days back, a sedition case was registered against Jat Sangharsh Samiti chief Yashpal Malik and 125 others for allegedly threatening peace and communal harmony in Haryana by instigating people to launch a fresh quota agitation. The Samiti also held a meeting in Delhi on Sunday to chalk out its future course of action. Unmoved by the FIRs registered against many Jat leaders, Yashpal Malik has maintained they would go ahead with their stir on 5 June, which will begin after a meeting in Hisar district. Jat community leaders from several states including Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan and UP would be participating in the meeting next Sunday. Samiti leaders have alleged that Haryana Government was misusing the police force to suppress their right to freedom of speech and expression. Earlier this week, Punjab and Haryana High Court had stayed the reservation for Jats and five other communities provided by the Haryana government under a newly carved Backward Classes (C) category. Thirty people were killed and property worth hundreds of crores of rupees was destroyed during the violent agitation in February this year, with districts including Rohtak, Jhajjar and Sonipat, being the worst affected. With inputs from Agencies