Haryana DGP Y.P. Singhal said that someone from the protestors fired at Border Security Force (BSF) personnel in Rohtak town.
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Haryana government on Friday sought Army assistance to quell the Jat quota agitation in at least eight districts even as chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar gave an assurance that a solution will be worked out to extend reservation to the community.
Jat leaders said that the agitation will not be withdrawn till the Khattar government comes out with substantive action on their demand for reservation for Jat community in government jobs and educational institutions.
He said army units are also being rushed from Jaipur for deployment in other worst-affected areas of the state.
The varsity students were squatting outside the Gate 2 of the University, which also leads to the residence of Haryana’s Finance Minister, Capt Abhimanyu.
Officials said mobile internet services have been blocked in Jhajjar and Rohtak in the Jat heartland which saw violence on Thursday when protesters clashed and pelted stones on police trying to evict them after imposition of prohibitory orders in four districts. We never overhauled the reservation system, rather we tweaked the reservation. Hours later, two more protesters, who were injured in police firing, died in hospital.
Agitators block roads and railway tracks at many places across #Haryana.
In Gurgaon, Jat protestors blocked roads, leading to traffic jams and chaos in the city, adjoining the national capital.
However, there was no let up in the protests, which have also spread to Sonipat, Bhiwani and Hisar districts with many schools in the affected parts declaring a holiday.
Several bus services of Haryana State Transport department were also suspended. “We want BJP government in Haryana to bring a legislation in the upcoming budget session to include Jats in OBC category”. A police vehicle was also damaged in the clash.
But the policy of “reservation” causes resentment among other communities who say it freezes them out.
Law and Order situation in Haryana was reviewed by Union Ministers Rajnath Singh, Manohar Parrikar, Arun Jaitley and Sushma Swaraj last night. “However, when the protest turns violent, a negative perception is created in the public”, he added.
Initially, the BJP’s suspicion was the former chief minister of the Congress, Bhupinder Singh Hooda, a Jat, had instigated the turmoil whose epicentre was Rohtak, Hooda’s bastion.
His government has already filed a special leave petition in the Punjab & Haryana High Court against its stay on the state’s decision to provide 10% quota to the Jats and four other communities under the Special Backward Class, or SBC, category.
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The top government functionaries decided that all assistance will be given to the state government to tackle the situation arising out of the violence, official sources said.
