Violence during 2016 stir claimed 31 lives; now influential Jat body has called off plan to disrupt Amit Shah rally on 15 Feb after govt agrees to its demands.
Chandigarh: The BJP government in Haryana has decided to withdraw all cases against Jat protesters who went on the rampage in the state two years back after an influential organisation representing the community has threatened to disrupt a motorcycle rally to be led by BJP chief Amit Shah in Jind Thursday.
In February 2016, Jat agitators demanding reservation hit the streets, destroying property, looting and burning down buildings. A total of 31 people were killed and nearly 150 injured in the violence. The PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry had pegged the loss to property at Rs 34,000 crore.
In three days, the state machinery completely collapsed and Manohar Lal Khattar-led BJP government continues to face criticism for what is seen as his big governance failure.
Almost 2,100 FIRs were lodged against hundreds of protesters for murder, attempt to murder, rioting, blocking roads, attacking government servants, among others.
Now, two years later, the All India Jat Aarakshan Sangharsh Samiti (AIJASS) has announced that 50,000 tractor trolleys will block Amit Shah’s motorcycle rally to protest against what it claims the government’s failure in fulfilling its demands.
A pressure tactic
In response, in a move seen as a bid to avoid any embarrassment to the national president of the ruling party, the Khattar government has decided to withdraw all FIRs registered during the 2016 agitation. The state police have also sought 150 companies of central forces to deal with the situation in the wake of the AIJASS threat.
Almost one lakh bikes are expected to join Shah’s ‘show of strength’. While massive preparations are going on for the rally, the chief minister and his men held marathon meetings with AIJASS leaders in Delhi Sunday.
During a joint press briefing late Monday, the CM announced that the government had accepted the demand to withdraw all cases against Jat protesters. Subsequently, AIJASS head Yashpal Malik called off the proposed stir in Jind.
Besides, Khattar and his men reportedly assured the Jat leaders that their other pending demands had already been met. These include government jobs for 30 people killed during the agitation, majority of who were alleged rioters. Apart from a job, the families of those killed were granted Rs 10 lakh each as compensation and another 63 injured rioters/members of public had also been given financial relief.
Despite criticism, the government is trying to justify the move.
“One has to take a humanitarian view of the situation. What has happened is in the past. They were boys of Haryana, our children,” said K.K. Bedi, minister for social justice and empowerment.
“They got upset and lost control and whatever they did, they did it out of anger. The family lost a young child. So we did not differentiate between the rioters and the public and compensated everyone,” he added.
Bedi headed a four member-committee which was considering the various demands put forth by the Jat bodies.
Recurring phenomenon
Since February 2016, when the Haryana government was seen to have utterly failed to maintain law and order, the Jat bodies have been virtually holding the government to ransom.
In June 2016, they pressured the government to file cancellation reports in courts where cases registered during the February violence are pending at various stages. The state succumbed to the demand after the Jats threatened to hold dharnas across the state.
As many as 137 cases in which 1,158 were accused were withdrawn from the courts in the first lot. In some cases even chargesheets had been submitted by the police.
During the hearing of a PIL related to the Jat agitation, the state government told the Punjab and Haryana High Court that district authorities had recommended withdrawal of these cases to “pave way for bringing brotherhood, harmony and peace among various communities in the state and the same shall be in a larger public interest and it will also curtail unnecessary and futile litigation”.
In February-March 2017, the Jats staged a 50-day protest across the state. A day before they were to march to Delhi and surround Parliament, the CM held a series of meeting with Jat leaders, agreeing to their demands.
“Several demands were accepted by the government on 19 March, 2017 but not implemented so we had to start agitation again,” says Rambhakt Malik, state secretary of the AIJSS.
In December, the government had announced withdrawal of 15 cases in which 47 were accused. Again last week, 70 cases in which 822 were accused were withdrawn.