Haryana CM Khattar appeal for peace and harmony as violence spreads

CM Khattar held a key meeting with his ministers and top officials to take stock of the situation in the state which has been witnessing violence since Friday when three people were killed.

Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Saturday appealed to the people of the state to maintain peace and harmony.

Haryana chief minister ML Khattar appealed for calm and peace in the state on February 20, 2016 following as agitation by the Jat community continued. (ANI)

“I appeal to the people especially the youth to stop the protests. Nothing will be gained by destroying property,” he said.

The chief minister added that he had already agreed to the demands made by the agitators for reservation in education and jobs.

Khattar held a key meeting with his ministers and top officials to take stock of the situation in the state which has been witnessing violence since Friday when three people were killed.

“Sonipat city and Gohana town have been brought under curfew today,” Sonipat’s Deputy Commissioner Rajiv Rattan told PTI.

Curfew had already been clamped in Rohtak, Bhiwani and Jhajjar towns in the wake of incidents of violence during the Jat agitation.

Earlier in the day, violence escalated in different parts of the state after a mob in Rohtak district’s Meham area set a police station, a petrol pump and a government building on fire.

Khattar had recently held talks with Jat and Khap leaders in Chandigarh, but these failed as the protesters remain adamant on their main demand of OBC quota in government jobs and rejected his announcement of enhancement of the quota of reservation for Economically Backward Classes in the state from 10 to 20%.

(With inputs from PTI)