Jat agitation continues in Haryana, water crisis in Delhi

Earlier on Sunday, the government decided to table a bill for granting OBC status to Jats in Haryana Assembly. The decision was taken at a high-level meeting between Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Jat leaders, National security Advisor, Army Chief and Delhi Police Commissioner.

Damage in Sonipat during Jat agitation. (Express Photo)

After the meeting, BJP leader Anil Jain, who is in charge of party affairs in Haryana, said the Jat community will get reservation in jobs and a bill will be brought in the next session of the Haryana assembly in this regard.

Jain also added that said a committee headed by a senior Union minister will be set up to look into demands of Jats.

An arsoned building in Sonipat on February 22, 2016. (Express Photo)

Army along with RAF secured Haryana's Munak Canal that supplies water to Delhi and cleared up the site.

Earlier, Kejriwal had said Monday morning that water was completely used up in Delhi and appelaed to the Centre to intervene immediately and get the supply restored from the canal.

Residents of Okhla waiting for water no tanker came due to interrupted water supply from Haryana, in New Delhi on Monday. (Express Photo by Praveen Khanna)

10 people died and 150 have suffered injuries in the ongoing Jat agitation in Haryana, till Sunday. The state police force, according to DGP YP Singal, has formulated a night-dominance plan to restore peace in the State’s affected areas. He added that the situation is improving “slowly”.

Sixty nine companies of the Indian Army have been deployed across the State, with a majority in Rohtak and Jhajjar. “We have got 49 companies of paramilitary forces, out of which 39 have already reached and 24 have been deployed. The remaining companies shall also be deployed by air soon. Rohtak city, Bhiwani, Kaithal, Sonepat, Jind and Jhajjar are calm since morning. We are in touch with the union government,” Singhal said.

Fire in DPRO car by Protesters, in Jhajjar, on Saturday, February 20, 2016. (Express Photo by Manoj Kumar)

The deaths on Saturday occurred “when armed forces opened fire to quell arson and firing” by the protesters, an official release said. Four people died in Jhajjar and one in Kaithal. Fifteen people, including security personnel, were injured, the release said. (Express Photo)

Several cities were put under curfew and the Army deployed over more areas. Chief Minister M L Khattar tweeted an appeal for harmony and law and order, and subsequently asked protesters to “return to their homes as the Government has accepted their demands”, but did not elaborate.

Jat protesters blocking the main Delhi-Haryana road in front of Mundka metro station on Saturday. (Express Photo by Gajendra Yadav)

Shoot-at-sight orders in Rohtak, Bhiwani, Sonipat, Panipat, Jhajjar, Jind and Hisar failed to curb the protests as agitated mobs went on the rampage. Several buses were set on fire in Rohtak, Jind, Panipat, Sonipat and Kaithal. Scores of shops, restaurants and hotels were set on fire in Rohtak and Jhajjar..

Several buildings were set on fire. The looters, witnesses said, took away whatever they could lay their hands on. ATMs, too, were looted. (Express Photos)

Shoot-at-sight orders in Rohtak, Bhiwani, Sonipat, Panipat, Jhajjar, Jind and Hisar failed to curb the protests as agitated mobs went on the rampage. Several buses were set on fire in Rohtak, Jind, Panipat, Sonipat and Kaithal. Scores of shops, restaurants and hotels were set on fire in Rohtak and Jhajjar..

Several buildings were set on fire. The looters, witnesses said, took away whatever they could lay their hands on. ATMs, too, were looted. (PTI Photo)

After Rohtak and Bhiwani on Friday, curfew was imposed on Saturday in Sonipat and Jhajjar. Thirteen columns of the Army were deployed in eight districts, and 30 companies of paramilitary forces were called out in 10 districts.

Paramilitary soldiers guard from a distance as Jat community protestors block a highway linking New Delhi to Rohtak at Bahadurgarh, Saturday. (AP Photo)

The Army, police and paramilitary forces conducted flag marches in eight districts, and warned protesters to go back home or face serious consequences. In Rohtak, the Army column stayed away from Gate No. 2 of Maharshi Dayanand University (MDU), as hundreds of armed Jat youths laid siege to the area, and ignored warnings to leave.

Army, BSF and police personnel at the flag march in Rohtak. (Express Photo)

Eight railway stations were set on fire on Saturday, and tracks uprooted, including on the New Delhi-Chandigarh stretch. A total 810 trains travelling to and through Haryana were affected, and 527 were cancelled. Many others were diverted or terminated short of their destinations, the Railways said. (Express Photos)

Dozens of buses and government and private properties were set on fire. Traffic on the Delhi-Chandigarh stretch of NH 1 was blocked at several places, and the toll plaza at Panipat was torched.

Fire in bus at Gohana by Protesters, in Rohtak. (Express Photo by Manoj Kumar)

The national capital is also staring at a potential water crisis if the situation in Haryana was not brought under control rapidly. Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and Water Minister Kapil Mishra took up the matter with union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday evening. (Express Photo by Prem Nath Pandey)

The road and rail disruption across Haryana is likely to carry on as Haryana DGP YP Singal said that the police’s priority was to first restore water supply to Delhi, followed by restoring peace in cities, confidence building among people and then comes the national or state highways and railway network.

DGP Yash Pal Singal with Additional Chief Secretary Home, Mr. PK Das addressing media at Haryana Civil Secretariat in Chandigarh. (Express Photo by Jasbir Malhi)