Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar was heckled on Tuesday by a crowd in Rohtak, the epicentre of the Jat agitation. The situation in the State was returning to normality in Haryana. The death toll has gone up to 19 and 183 people have been injured.
Soon after the Chief Minister started his address, the crowd shouted slogans and showed black flags, accusing the government of having failed to prevent rioting, arson and looting. They also demanded compensation for their losses and strict action against the culprits.
The Punjab and Haryana High Court asked the government to file a status report by Monday next on the agitation.
'OBC Quota won’t be touched'
Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar has said the State government will not disturb the 27 per cent reservation for the Other Backward Classes (OBCs). “We will make a separate provision for their reservation,” he told journalists before leaving for Delhi to meet Union Minister Venkaiah Naidu, who is heading a committee to examine the Jats’ demand for reservation.
Mr. Khattar said those found guilty of violence during the agitation would not be spared, but no false case would be filed against anyone. “A high-level probe will be conducted into the entire incident and strict action taken against all officers and employees of the police and the administration involved in this incident,” he said.
Mr. Khattar said the government would examine the audio clip of Prof. Virender Singh, political adviser to the former Chief Minister, Bhupinder Singh Hooda. “If involvement of any person belonging to any political party or organization is found, he will not be spared,” he said. Those who damaged property would be identified and strict action taken against them.
