Jats raise pitch, dharna in Delhi from today

CHANDIGARH: There seems to be no early resolution to the impasse between the state government and Jat agitators even as Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar today reiterated that doors were open to dialogue

Updated At : 06:11 AM Feb 03, 2017 IST

Women raise slogans at Jassia village; and (left) Rapid Action Force on guard in Rohtak on Thursday. Photos: Manoj Dhaka

Sushil Manav

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, February 2

There seems to be no early resolution to the impasse between the state government and Jat agitators even as Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar today reiterated that doors were open to dialogue.

Yashpal Malik, national president of the All India Jat Aarakshan Sangharsh Samiti, today announced that dharnas would be held on alternate days in 11 districts of Delhi on the border with Haryana in support of protests being organised in the state.

“We will stage the first dharna at Alipur near Narela on the Sonepat-Delhi highway tomorrow. The next will be held at Kishanganj on the old Rohtak road on February 5, followed by another at Najafgarh near Bahadurgarh on February 7. In the next 22 days, we will hold dharna in 11 districts bordering Haryana,” he said.

He said dharna sites in Delhi had been chosen close to Haryana so that the protesters could return to the state in case any need arose. He said dharnas in Haryana would continue till the government accepted their demands.

Repeating demands, he said they wanted reservation in the Centre and state, jobs to the next of kin of those killed, compensation to those injured in the agitation last year, action against MP Raj Kumar Saini, action against officers responsible for excesses, release of jailed protesters and withdrawal of all cases.

Khattar reiterated his offer for dialogue today, but at the same time, said the government would come down with a heavy hand if someone tried to take the law into one’s hands.“Khap leaders and a faction of quota organisations met me on January 27. We accepted the demand of jobs for family members of those killed and started action on it. We have promised to withdraw criminal cases if wrongly registered. Of the 2,100 cases, 1,350 have already been disposed of. There is no point in continuing the agitation,” Khattar said.

Asked how such a large number of criminal cases were disposed of in a year unless those were fake cases or the government helped the accused being let off, he said in some cases the persons booked were not traceable or the police did not find evidence against the accused.