Security Tightened In Haryana As Jat Deadline On Quota Ends Today

Chandigarh: The 72-hour deadline issued by Jats for the Haryana government to accept their demand for quotas ends today leading to security forces being tightened in the state.

The demand refers to ten percent quota for Jats in jobs and educational institutions, besides withdrawal of FIRs registered against the protesters, compensation to those killed in the stir and action against BJP MP from Kurukshetra Raj Kumar Saini for his "anti-Jat" reservation stand. The Jat leaders had threatened to resume agitation in case the BJP-led Haryana government does not meet their demands by March 17.

The Supreme Court has rejected the inclusion of Jats in the Centre's OBC list on the ground that the National Commission of Backward Castes does not consider them socially and economically backward in Haryana.

The state’s Chief Minister ML Khattar had sought paramilitary forces from the Centre to be deployed in sensitive areas. IGP, Rohtak Range, Sanjay Kumar said: “We have made adequate police security arrangements. We have adequate force and we are deploying it accordingly.” However, he refused to reveal how many police personnel have been deployed to maintain law and order in case Jat leaders resume their agitation.

Haryana police were criticized for its "failure" to prevent and control violence during the Jat agitation last month, in which 30 people died. The then IGP Rohtak Shrikant Jadhav was suspended by Haryana government.

Several districts including Rohtak, the epicenter of Jat agitation, along with other towns and districts of Jhajjar, Kaithal, Jind, Sonipat, Bhiwani had witnessed violence by arsonists and unruly mob.