Jat Agitation Live: Death Toll at 16, Rajnath Rushes to Meet Modi
The Jat protests for reservation enters its ninth day as the national capital and surrounding areas are held captive.
advertisement
- Jat agitation enters Day 9. Death toll at 16; over 150 injured.
- Rajnath Singh meets Narendra Modi to apprise him of Jat row.
- Special trains to help stranded passengers.
- Airfare remains exorbitant. Ait ticket rates hiked to 300%.
- Wazirabad water treatment plant starts functioning.
- Special committee meeting in Venkaiah Naidu’s residence ends.
- Munak Canal to be fully functional by tomorrow.
- Curfew still imposed in Hisar.
- Army, RAF secures Munak canal supplying water to Delhi. Water to reach Delhi by evening.
- Delhi schools shut. Gurgaon police also advised schools to remain closed.
- Most border areas connected with Delhi reopen.
- Centre gives into the Jats’ demand for reservation, forms panel under Venkaiah Naidu. But Jat leaders say they won’t stop protests.
Non-Political Committee Should Decide on Reservation: Bhagwat
RSS supremo Mohan Bhagwat on Monday suggested that a non-political committee should be formed to decide on eligibility for reservation.
Bhagwat said a person not getting opportunity only because
of his birth in a particular caste should not happen.
Now Fly to Mumbai From Amritsar for Rs 23,000!
Domestic airlines continued to charge exorbitant fares in the wake of the Jat stir with some carriers spiking ticket prices to as high as Rs 23,000 for a Amristsar-Mumbai flight, a hike of over 300 per cent, even as Government washed its hands off, saying it can only “request” them to keep the rates under check.
According to travel portals, while the fares for a SpiceJet flight to Amritsar from Mumbai for tomorrow stood at whopping 23,610, IndiGo, GoAir and SpiceJet’s fares for a Delhi-Amritsar flight have been quoted as Rs 18,562.
Similarly, full service carrier Jet Airways has hiked its fares to Rs 16,815 for a Delhi-Chandigarh flight on Tuesday.
At the same time, national carrier Air India’s was charging Rs 11,678 for a Jaipur-Mumbai journey, while budget carrier had upped teh fares to Rs 17,418 for the same route, according to the portal.
The 30-day advance booking fares for these destinations on an average range between Rs 3,000-6,400 for a single journey.
Special Trains to Help Stranded Passengers
The railways has pressed into service special trains for Jammu and Chandigarh on Monday to help the passengers who were stranded due to the Jat agitation.
A special train will leave Old Delhi railway station for Jammu at 6 PM and another will depart from New Delhi to Jammu at 10 PM, according to Railway Ministry sources.
The special trains will run through Ghaziabad, Meerut, Saharanpur and Ambala.
There will be another special train to clear the stranded rail passengers from Chandigarh also.
A special train from Chandigarh to Anand Vihar has been pressed into service at 4 PM.
The train will stop at Ambala, Saharanpur, Muzaffarnagar, Meerut and Ghaziabad stations enroute Anand Vihar.
Naidu-Led Meeting Ends; Meeting With Khattar Tomorrow
The committee meeting that was led by Union Parliamentary Affairs minister M
Venkaiah Naidu on Monday took stock of the Jat situation and discussed as how to move forward
in the matter.
Other members of the committee - Mahesh Sharma, Sanjeev Baliyan, both Union Ministers and BJP leaders Satpal Malik and Avinash Rai Khanna, attended the hour-long meeting.
Yielding to pressure from agitating Jats, the Centre had
last night announced setting up of the committee under Naidu to examine the
quota demand for the community in government jobs.
Rajnath Meets Modi
Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday evening. Singh reportedly apprised Modi of the steps taken to contain the violence in Jat reservation row. During the half-an-hour meeting, Singh gave a detailed presentation about the agitation and subsequent violence as well as the steps taken to restore normalcy in Haryana, official sources said.
The Home Minister also told the Prime Minister about the meeting he had with a delegation of Jat leaders on Sunday and the decisions taken in it.
BJP general secretary Anil Jain also had announced that the BJP government in Haryana will bring a legislation in the coming session of the Haryana assembly to give OBC status to Jats.
Modi did not make any direct comment on this issue, till now. The only thing he implied on Sunday’s rally in Odisha, was that there is a conspiracy going on to demean the name of his government.
Haryana Health Minister Offers Resignation
While the Jats might have reached a consensus over the reservation stir, Haryana health minister has now offered his resignation – as per India Today.
He was upset with the way the Government was handling the whole Jat row. There has been no confirmation from the Government, though.
After a Cabinet meeting, Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar has now called for an emergency meeting to discuss the situation in the State.
Wazirabad Water Treatment Plant Starts Operation
The water situation in Delhi might see an improvement by the
end of Monday. The Wazirabad water treatment plant has been opened, announced the Delhi
government.
Delhi Water Minister Kapil Mishra, took to Twitter to inform the developments that took place in the plant on Monday.
The Wazirabad water treatment plant has been under fire for its rising ammonia levels. Now, as per media reports the levels are under control.
Special Panel Meeting Ends
The Special Committee meeting which was held in Union Minister Venkaiah Naidu’s residence over the Jat reservation row, has ended. The minutes of meeting have not yet been disclosed.
Meanwhile, the Army has also cleared the National Highway-1 in Sonepat. The movement on the Delhi-Ambala has been restored.
Production at Maruti’s Plants Remains Suspended
Production remained suspended for the second day on Monday at Maruti Suzuki India’s plants in Gurgaon and Manesar as supplies of components continue to be hit by the Jat agitation.
The two plants put together roll out some 5,000 units of vehicles a day. The company temporarily halted production at the two plants on Saturday due to Jat agitation in Haryana.
Company sources remained unsure of when the production would resume. (PTI)
Jat Group to Lift Dharnas After Govt Forms Panel
All India Jat Aarakshan Sanghursh Samiti (AIJASS), a group that played a prominent role in the Jat agitation, on Monday said that it will not participate in the dharnas after the government announced setting up of a committee to examine the quota demand.
However, the decision to end dharna at Mayyar village on Delhi-Hissar railway track will be taken by the Sampla Sanghursh Samiti, another Jat organisation, AIJASS Spokesman Ram Bhagat Malik said.
The Samiti demanded that all cases registered against Jat protesters during the current and previous agitations be withdrawn immediately. (PTI)
Use Force to Control Blockade, Centre to Security Forces
The Centre has directed security forces to use force to clear blockades in Haryana, reports PTI. Just about an hour ago, the army opened fire to control the agitation killing 3 in the process. A stone-pelting mob on Monday attacked personnel of army and paramilitary forces who were trying to clear the road blockade in Sonepat, leading to a clash in which there were some “casualties”.
Police sources said the Jat demonstrators fought pitched battles with soldiers by hurling stones and bricks near Ladsoli village, 55 km from New Delhi.
The army fired at the Jats, leaving a few injured, the sources said, after they blocked National Highway-1 again.
Education Minister Ram Bilas Sharma meanwhile informed that the Haryana violence had left 16 people dead. He said the cabinet discussed the latest situation in the state.
Venkaiah Naidu heads the Special Committee Meeting
Meanwhile, the meeting that was to be convened by Union Minister Venkaiah Naidu is underway. The Special Committe meeting is taking place in Naidu’s residence.
SC Seeks Status Report From Haryana on Water Situation
The Supreme Court on Monday sought a status report from Haryana on a plea of the Delhi government seeking resumption of water supply to the national capital, disrupted due to the ongoing Jat quota stir.
A bench headed by Chief Justice TS Thakur and comprising Justice U U Lalit was initially reluctant to take up the plea of Delhi government and rapped it for approaching the apex court instead of resolving the issue at government-to-government level.
The Delhi Water Minister Kapil Mishra was present inside the court during this hearing.
‘Munak Canal to be Fully Functional Tomorrow’
Government sources said that the Munak canal, which supplies water to Delhi will be fully operational by tomorrow . Earlier in the day, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Twitter that by late evening, 25 percent of water supply in the city will be restored.
Delhi Cabinet Minister Kapil Mishra announced on Twitter that water has still not arrived from Haryana.
Mishra, also the Delhi Jal Board Chairman has written to the Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and Union Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar apprising them of the water situation in the national capital.
Haryana Minister Says 16 People Dead
Haryana Minister Ram Bilas Sharma said that 16 people have
lost their lives in the Jat reservation row.
Former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda’s convoy was stopped by the police in Mundka at the Delhi-Haryana border.
Railways to Give Full Refund For Cancelled Trains
The agitation has affected the train services heavily. Many trains from Vadodara en route to Haryana have been cancelled. As a result, passengers have been stranded at the railway stations. The railways will give full refund for all the cancelled trains.
BJP member Sanjeev Balyan said that the issue has been resolved.
Jat Reservation Row Spreads to Rajasthan
Jat reservation row has reached eastern Rajasthan. Protesters have blocked the roads and also have set a bus on fire in Bharatpur, Rajasthan.
The Haryana Cabinet meeting is underway in Chandigarh. Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar is also present in the meeting.
Meanwhile, the Haryana Police is maintaining that the situation is peaceful and the roads are open. The water crisis in Delhi has made life a bit difficult for the Minister and other political leaders.
Curfew Imposed in Hisar Again
Police imposed curfew in Hisar, hours after it was lifted earlier on Monday. Five villages in Hisar have been put on lockdown and shoot at sight orders have been issued following a face off between Jats and other community members in the area.
Deputy Commissioner Chander Shekhar Khare issued orders clamping curfew in five villages of Sisai, Pano Bolan, Kali Rava, Sainipura and Dhanipal falling in Hansi sub-division of the district.
Khare also said that army and police patrolling in the affected villages has been stepped up and appeal issued to the people to maintain peace and remain indoors.
Supreme Court Appeals For Peace
Supreme Court has appealed to the Jat protesters in Haryana to maintain peace and not damage property.
The top court also declined to listen to a PIL against the agitation saying it would not interfere in the matter since there was no reason to believe that government not taking action.
Delhi’s Water Supply to Be Restored Partially
The Delhi government is expecting to restore 25 per cent of the city’s water supply which was disrupted due to the Jat stir by Monday evening.
Earlier Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had said that water was completely used up in Delhi and appealed to the federal government to intervene immediately and get the supply restored from the Munak canal in Sonepat.
After an emergency meeting held at Deputy CM Manish Sisodia’s residence to assess the situation, Delhi Water Minister Kapil Mishra said that 400 cusecs (cubic feet per second) of water was released from Munak subcanal, adding that 25 per cent water supply in Delhi is expected to be restored by late evening.
The gates of pucca canal are still closed and these have been damaged by the agitators at many points.
Haryana Limps to Normalcy, Sporadic Violence in Some Areas
Sporadic incidents of arson were reported as life in violence-torn Haryana limped back to normal with curfew being lifted gradually and Jat protesters starting to lift blockades.
The All India Jat Aarakshan Sanghursh Samiti has said that it would hold a meeting later in the day to decide on the future course of action, including lifting of blockades at various places.
Curfew imposed in towns is being lifted gradually.
Amid the slow restoration of peace, protesters set a government vehicle on fire in Meham in Rohtak. They also blocked roads including the arterial Delhi-Ambala Highway, demanding a written assurance that the community will be given reservation in the state. Roads to Rohtak, Hisar and Bhiwani districts were also blocked.
Reports pouring from other areas said the road blockades from the Delhi-Panipat National Highway are being cleared for restoration of traffic.
Venkaiah Naidu-Led Panel Likely to Meet Shortly
Parliamentary Minister Venkaiah Naidu may convene the first meeting of a committee set up by the Centre to look into the quota demand for the Jat community in government jobs later in the day.
Read more here.
Curfew Over Hisar Lifted
Police have lifted curfew over Hisar and Hansi towns in Jat stir-hit Haryana even as road and rail traffic from here to various destinations remained suspended.
An official spokeperson said that curfew has been lifted in view of the improvement in the situation. Security personnel will keep a vigil till restoration of normalcy, he said.
All India Jat Aarakshan Sangharsh Samiti Ram spokesperson Bhagat Malik has said that they would hold a meeting later this afternoon and then decide on the future course of action, including lifting of blockades by their supporters.
Damage Assessed at Rs 20,000 Crore
Haryana has suffered a loss of around Rs 20,000 crore on account of burning and destroying of public and private property due to one going Jat stir, said industry body ASSOCHAM.
Collateral damage has been done to businesses and industries in Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh.
Read more here.
Fresh Bouts of Violence
Fresh violence has been reported in Rohtak and Sonepat, according to NDTV.
Protesters have also blocked roads in Jhajjar.
Jat protesters have burnt a goods train in Sonepat.
The Delhi Police has reported an obstruction in traffic from Singhu Border towards Haryana due to a demonstration by Akhil Bhartiya Jat Aarakshan Sangharsh Samiti workers.
Special Train to Run Between Delhi and Chandigarh
The Northern Railways will run a special train between Chandigarh and Delhi’s Anand Vihar terminal at 4 pm to clear passengers stranded due to the Jat protests.
The railways will also give full refund to passengers affected by the Jat protests.
SC Issues Notice to States, Centre
Supreme Court issues notices to Haryana, Uttar Pradesh Government and Central Government over the Jats’ disruption of water supply.
Haryana government told the apex court that the situation brought under control with the army’s help and water from the Munak canal to Delhi will be released by 1 pm. It will reach the capital by evening.
The apex court has sought a status report from the Haryana government in two days after the water supply is resumed. The court will also hear the Munak canal matter on February 25.
The SC also ticked off Delhi Jal Board (DJB) Chairperson Kapil Mishra for seeking its help instead of talking to the Haryana government to restore Delhi’s water supply.
Venkaiah Naidu Appeals For Normalcy
Trains, Buses to Pakistan Suspend Services
The Samjhauta Express between Delhi-Attari-Lahore has been cancelled due to agitation along with the Delhi-Lahore bus service.
Delhi-Haryana Borders Reopen
Borders adjoining national capital Delhi are now open, Delhi Police has said. Police also said NH-8 is open but NH-10 is yet to open for traffic.
NH-1 connecting Chandigarh to Delhi which had been cleared has been blocked by protesters again, CNN-IBN reports.
Haryana Cabinet to convene at 1.30 PM to discuss measures to end the agitation.
Rohtak IG Shifted
The Haryana government on Sunday shifted IG of Rohtak Range Sirikant Jadhav amid the ongoing Jat agitation in the state which has claimed 12 lives so far.
No reason was given for the shifting of the officer.
The districts of Rohtak and Jhajjar, which have been badly affected by the stir, fall in Rohtak Range.
The office of IG, Rohtak Range, was also vandalised by the protesters.
No officer has been appointed in place of Jadhav.
Army Secures Delhi’s Water Pipeline
The army has secured the Munak canal in Sonepat, which supplies water to Delhi, CM Arvind Kejriwal tweeted.
Six CRPF companies and two army columns reached are at the spot and repairing damages to the canal.
Water supply to Delhi has been disrupted at Akbarpur-Barota by Jat protesters since Friday night.
Delhi Jal Board CEO Keshav Chandra appeals to people to use water conservatively and warns the next 10 days will be crucial.
Meanwhile, the AAP government has convened an emergency meet at Deputy CM Manish Sisodia’s house.
Agitation Enters Its Ninth Day as Government Concedes to Demands
Haryana was on the tenterhooks on Monday as security forces moved in to get blockades by Jat protesters removed along highways and railway tracks.
No untoward incident, except for the blockades, was reported in the state in the past 12-hours, police said. Police also said a few protesters have started retreating.
With the Bharatiya Janata Party promising to give reservation to Jats and assuring that a bill will be brought in the next session of the Haryana assembly, Jat leaders had appealed to the protesters to end the agitation.
The Jat agitation, which is into its ninth day on Monday, has left 11 people dead and over 150 injured.
Security forces moved in to get blockades removed from the busy NH-1 (Delhi-Ambala) and NH-10 (Delhi-Hisar). Efforts were also made to clear railway tracks on the Delhi-Ambala and Delhi-Bathinda sections.
Thousands of people and vehicles were stranded on NH-1 as the protesters laid siege to the highway in Sonipat and Panipat districts in the past three days, cutting off road connectivity to Haryana, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir and Chandigarh through the highway.
Nearly 800 trains were cancelled by railway authorities in the region due to the Jat agitation. Airfares between Delhi and affected areas have shot up.
Hundreds of shops have been vandalised and set on fire in Rohtak, Bhiwani, Jhajjar and other places.
A number of government and private buildings and vehicles were also set on fire in the past four days as mob of youth went on the rampage in over 10 districts in Haryana.
The state government had to requisition the army and para-military forces to contain the situation. However, the violent protests continued and even spread to other areas of the state.
In Rohtak, the epicentre of pro-quota Jat agitation, curfew remained in force even as there was no report of any incident of violence and arson in the last 24 hours.
A curfew had been imposed also in Bhiwani, Jhajjar, Jind, Hissar, Hansi, Sonepat and Gohana town of Sonepat.
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)