A school without desks, chairs and students, is not really a school.
But, that is what Silver Bells Public School is today, nearly four months after it became the target of violent Jat protesters, who burnt and ransacked the premises. Located on Gohana Road, just outside Rohtak city, the school had been operating since 2005, with about 400 students enrolled at the time of the attack.
“Nothing was left” V.K. Juneja, the owner of the school, said a mob of about 20 people first, and about 250 later, set the school building, bus and generator on fire about 8 p.m. on February 19, during the peak of the Jat reservation stir.
“Nothing was left. Water pipes and tanks were broken, so we couldn’t douse the fire. The roads were blocked so I couldn’t reach the school for three days to see the damage,” he said, adding that the school was targeted because the owner, he, is Punjabi.
Damages to the tune of R.85 lakh were incurred, but the Haryana government gave Rs.22 lakh as compensation. Without funds to buy new furniture, computers and laboratory equipment, the school remains shuttered.
“We were forced to move the students to our other branch in the city. There is no income from the Gohana Road branch, but we are spending on extra security and staff to maintain it. The recurring losses are making it difficult to keep going.”
He and other business owners who incurred damages during February’s violent stir are a worried lot now, with Jats renewing their agitation for reservation in the State from Sunday. According to ASSOCHAM, the February stir had led to a loss of Rs.20,000 crore to Haryana.
Justice Jatin Batra, an executive member of the Rohtak Traders’ Association, lost crores when two branches of his confectionaries’ shop, Gulab Rewri, were looted and set on fire on February 19 and 20. He said the total damage incurred was Rs.6.18 crore, but the compensation received from the government was just Rs.20 lakh.
“Traders are afraid because we haven’t got justice for what happened last time. It is already difficult to get workers because of Rohtak’s reputation. If violence takes place again, customers and investors will also leave,” said Mr. Batra.
With protests being peaceful so far, business owners are hopeful that February’s arson and looting will not be repeated.
Jagmohan Mittal, the president of the Haryana Automobile Dealership Association, lost Rs.16 crore in inventory and infrastructure at two dealerships and one stock yard. There were 198 cars at the stock yard on February 20 when a mob set it on fire — 33 cars were totally burnt and 165 were damaged, he said .
“We became the target of politics, being non-Jats. The entire episode cost us crores, the recurring losses are continuing today.”
