Jat quota stir continues in Faridabad and Palwal, police on high alert

Protest in Faridabad and Palwal districts. Leaders of the Jat community say they will remain peaceful. However, police stay on alert to prevent the repeat of violence during Jat quota stir in 2016.

Even as police intensified security in different parts of Faridabad and Palwal districts as Jat agitation continued for the second day on Monday, the leaders of the stir remained determined that they will continue peaceful protest till their youth languishing in jails are released.

Police deployed at Atul Kataria Chowk in Gurgaon where Jats are sitting on a dharma for demanding reservation in government jobs.(Praveen Kumar/HT Photo)

The dharna staged by Jat community in Deeg village under Ballabgarh sub-division in Faridabad and another protest held in Jat dharamshala in Palwal township continued on Monday, though there were fewer members as participants.

“The agitation will continue till our demands are met,” said Ram Kishen Malik, general secretary of Jat Aarakshan Akhil Bharat Sangarsh Samiti.

“A large number of our youth are languishing in jails. We want all of them released. We want cases against the community members registered during the earlier agitation to be withdrawn immediately,” said Malik, adding that compensation be given to those who suffered injuries during the last agitation and jobs for kin of those who lost lives.

Read: Haryana: Jat protest attracts bigger crowd on day 2, mobile operation suspended in Jhajjar

Meanwhile, Faridabad commissioner of police Dr Hanif Qureshi said that police officials were sent to Jat-dominated areas in the district and it was made clear to them that the administration is duty bound to strictly implement instructions of the High Court and Supreme Court.

“We have made all arrangements to deal with the situation in case a violent situation arises. Our cops have been put on alert and we will not allow any body to take law in their hands,” Qureshi said.

The officers are ensuring that no objectionable audio, video or any other material that could disrupt peace are telecast through cable TV or circulated through social media like Twitter, Facebook and Whatsapp.

During the previous Jat agitation, police had registered cases against the perpetrators of violence on National Highway 2. Sector 55 police had registered cases against over 300 people for resorting to vandalism and blocking Mathura road.

Similarly, Palwal police had registered three FIRs and Sadar Police station alone had registered FIRs against over 750 people for blocking the highway at Prithla area and at Mitrol.