Three civilians were killed in Haryana when stone-pelting mobs attacked security personnel trying to clear a road blockade in Sonepat, raising the death toll to 19 in the nine-day Jat reservation stir.
This, after the All India Jat Aarakshan Sangharsh Samiti (AIJASS), the main body spearheading the anti-reservation stir, appealed to community members to lift blockades and return to their homes.
AIJASS leaders Yashpal Malik and Jaipal Singh Sangwan told dna that they have withdrawn the agitation as the Centre has assured reservation to Jats under the OBC category.
“Both the Centre and the Haryana government have assured us that the Bill for reservation will be brought and passed in the coming assembly session. We have agreed to withdraw the stir on their assurances,” said Malik.
However, many places such as Kaithal, Hissar, Rohtak and Sonepat witnessed several incidents of violence and arson.
The Haryana government was still on tenterhooks as accepting Jat reservation can annoy the other OBC communities of Saini and Gujjars. Worrying signs of such a clash appeared in Hissar on Sunday evening and Monday and the government had to impose curfew.
As signs of the stir spreading to Rajasthan and UP appeared, Union home minister Rajnath Singh briefed Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The five-member committee, headed by parliamentary affairs minister Venkaiah Naidu, which held its first meeting on Monday, met Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar and other state ministers on Tuesday to ascertain the state government's views on how to go about the vexed issue, acceding to which can give rise to reservation demands from other castes.
The Army and paramilitary forces cleared blockades on state and national highways near the Delhi border and also took control of the Munak canal, the lifeline for Delhi’s water supply.
Security forces also took control of certain other key flashpoints in Haryana -- national highway number 8 and several state highways. Still, the situation remained grim in many parts of the state.
The CRPF repaired the Saifabad water treatment plant and restored the Delhi-Rewari-Jhajjar road that was ripped apart by the agitators. The CRPF is also trying to restore NH 1 -- between Sonipat and Panipat – that was damaged in three places.
The Centre had asked 49 columns of the Army and 52 paramilitary companies to go to Haryana and they had to be airlifted and deployed at key trouble points.
