CHANDIGARH: The Haryana government is not taking any chances this time ahead of the Jat quota agitation from Sunday and the State is on high alert as 48 companies of paramilitary forces have been deployed besides Haryana Police across the State.
While khap panchayats have opted out of the agitation from June 5, All India Jat Aarakshan Sangharsh Samiti (AIJASS) is going ahead with the protest.
Haryana Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Ram Niwas said, “Already 48 companies of paramilitary forces have been deployed at various places in the State due to the call given of stir by Jats from Sunday. We have asked for 15 more companies from the Union Government.’’
In February, during the Jat agitation, the agitators had disrupted water supply to Delhi by damaging the carrier-lined channel of Munak Canal. So this time, police and paramilitary forces had been deployed to guard this canal in Sonepat district.
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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. Also Haryana Police have cancelled leave of all personnel except in emergency cases till further orders.
Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) Mohammad Akil said, “The police stations are adequately equipped to deal with any kind of protest.’’
However, Jat leaders have assured the state government that they will maintain peace during the protest and will not block roads or railway tracks. The government has specified one spot in each district where people can hold peaceful protest. Thirty people were killed and properties worth hundreds of crores of rupees were destroyed during the February quota agitation by Jats.
Meanwhile, the Prakash Singh committee, which probed the violence during the Jat quota agitation, on Saturday termed as a “bona fide mistake” the inclusion of INLD MP Dushyant Chautala’s name for allegedly adding “fuel to the fire” during the stir. Singh has urged the state government to make necessary corrections in all copies of the report.