M A I N   N E W S

HC tells Jat protesters not to disrupt train traffic
n SC directs Haryana, Rajasthan & UP to ensure supply of essential goods
n Protesters vow to continue stir, seek compensation for protester’s death
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 24
A Division Bench of the Punjab & Haryana High Court headed by the Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi today directed the leaders of the Jat community to desist from disrupting movement of trains.

The direction “to exclude the blockade of trains from the agitation programme with immediate effect” comes in the wake of the continuing agitation in Haryana and parts of Uttar Pradesh for the past three weeks.

The Bench comprising Justice Gogoi and Justice Ahluwalia asserted, “We are of the view that the different agitating groups, who may have a right to agitate for the redressal of their just grievances, have to limit the modes of agitation within the parameters of law, without adversely affecting national interest”.

“It will, however, be open for them to continue their agitation, if they so desire, in any other peaceful, legitimate and non-violent manner”, the Bench observed.

The Bench directed the respective Deputy Commissioner/District Magistrate to serve a copy of the directions to the leaders of the agitating community.

The hearing was attended by Haryana DGP Ranjiv Dalal, ADGP (Law and Order) BS Sandhu and Home Secretary Sameer Mathur.

The directions came during the hearing of a petition filed in public interest by a Chandigarh-based NGO, the Consumer Awareness Group Society.

The petitioner NGO claimed that the previous rally held by the Jat Aarakshan Sangharsh Samiti on September 13 last for reservation under the OBC category witnessed violence and loss to private and public property worth crores.

The NGO sought directions to the DC and the SP concerned to ensure that adequate security arrangements were in place to prevent violence and to recover the loss, if caused by the agitators during the rally.

On Thursday, a Supreme Court Bench also directed the governments of Haryana, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh to ensure that supply of essential commodities, including milk, food and fuel from Panipat and Mathura, is maintained. The Bench was responding to petitions moved by the Indian Oil Corporation and the Delhi Jal Board.

The Jats, who are demanding inclusion in the Other Backward Castes (OBC) to avail of reserved quotas in Central government jobs, however, declared their intention to continue with the agitation. One of them, Yashpal Malik, said in Fatehabad that he was not aware of the court’s direction while at Karnal, the Jat Mahasabha held a meeting and resolved to defy any attempt to foil the agitation.

Mischief mongers also appear to be active as a group of alleged lawyers today met the squatters on the railway track at Ramayan village near Hisar and instigated people to defy the court’s order. They donated Rs 40,000 on the spot and offered their services ‘free’ in the courtroom, if it became necessary. The agitationists claimed to have received cash donation of over Rs 14 lakh. The death of one of the protesters, Vijay Singh Karwasra, yesterday also queered the pitch. Karwasra was on fast in Fatehabad since March 14. Yesterday he vomitted blood and collapsed.

For the better part of Thursday, his body was kept on the track as the community demanded “ the status of a martyr, a plot of land for a memorial, adequate compensation and a government job to the next of kin”. Protesters allowed the cremation of the body only after the DC, Vijay Singh Dahiya, and the SP, Vivek Sharma, reached the spot and assured that the demands would be forwarded to the government for consideration. Train movement continued to be disrupted on Thursday in several parts of Haryana and Punjab.