The Haryana government heaved a sigh of relief on Sunday as the ‘Balidan Diwas’ (martyr day) observed by the agitating Jats passed peacefully. However, by passing a fresh eight-point resolution to intensify the protest in the coming days, the Jat agitators have once again put the state government in a tight spot.
Under their agenda announced, the agitators-led by Akhil Bharatiya Jat Arakshan Sangharsh Samiti (ABJASS) president Yashpal Malik announced to intensify their protest and spreading to Delhi and increasing more protest spots in 10 districts from coming March 1.
Resolution to the President Pranab Mukherjee, encircling Parliament, seeking support for the ongoing Jat agitation from elected representatives, including MPs and MLAs are among the main points unanimously passed by the agitators today.
Talking to The Statesman, ABJASS national president Yashpal Malik said, “Today 8-point resolution was passed unanimously by the community. It has been decided that the protest should be intensified to pressurise the state government. We are stick to our demands including withdrawal of cases registered against the members of our community during the previous agitations.”
However, Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar today made it clear that demands of the agitators would be fulfilled within the scope of the law.
Meanwhile, the second round of talks will take place between the agitators and the state government’s committee at Panipat on Monday.
Apart from heavy deployment of state police police and paramilitary force, drone cameras were monitoring the agitation at various places.
No untoward incident was reported in the state today and the traffic movement on national and state highways bin the state was also reported normal.
Keeping in view the situation, the state government had deputed senior IAS officers to guide and support the Deputy Commissioners in eight districts.
These senior officers had been asked to reach the respective district latest by the noon of February 18 and remain present there till the forenoon of February 20 to appropriately guide.
Meanwhile, the ongoing agitation in 20 districts of the state led by Malik today completed peaceful 21 days.
Even after the ‘Balidan Diwas’ went peacefully, the state government has put the civil and police administration in all the districts on high alert. Apart from heavy deployment of state police personnel, a total 37 companies of paramilitary forces and nearly 7000 home guard personnel have been put into positions in the state to avoid any untoward incident likewise the previous year.
The CID wing of the state in its recent report too has expressed concern over the growing numbers of the agitators at protest spots. Besides, it was also added in the report that the agitation could turn violent.
The Jat agitation in February last year left nearly 31 people dead while more than 200 injured. During the violence erupted last year, government and private properties were damaged and set on fire.