Jat stir: probe panel yet to receive complaints

: Former Chief Justice of the Jammu and Kashmir High Court S.N. Jha, who heads the two-member commission inquiring into violence during the Jat reservation agitation in February this year, on Monday said the commission had not received any complaint from the public so far in this regard.

Addressing a press conference here, Mr. Jha said the commission had put out a public notice in leading newspapers of the State on June 17 seeking complaints regarding violence during the agitation within 30 days of the publication of the notice. The commission, however, has received only a compact disc so far.

Communication gap?

Blaming it on a communication gap, Mr. Jha said the commission could initiate probe only after it received complaints. Not just victims, but anyone who had been witness to violence during the agitation could give a complaint to the commission, said Mr. Jha. He added that the commission would also receive complaints regarding the Murthal case.

The commission was set up with the issuance of a notification on April 8 by the Haryana government, and the members had taken over on April 18. The commission, with its headquarters at the Haryana Vigilance Bureau building in Sector 47 here, will submit its report within six months of its first sitting after it has received complaints.

In reply to a question, Mr. Jha said the commission could also visit the violence-affected areas in Rohtak, Sonipat and Jhajjar following complaints and could summon those who were required to be questioned in this connection.