The Jat quota agitation continued in various parts of Haryana for the third day today on a subdued note with no untoward incident being reported from anywhere in the state.
Like past two days, no big demonstrations were held by the Jat community members today as well in many districts, officials said.
In sharp contrast to the first phase of the agitation three months back which was widespread and violent, there has been lukewarm response this time to the dharnas organised by Jat leaders owing allegiance to All-India Jat Aarakshan Sangarsh Samiti (AIJASS) at various places like Rohtak, Hisar, Jind and Sonipat.
The agitation in February had left 30 people dead and widespread destruction of government and private property.
The Manohar Lal Khattar government, which had faced flak over handling of the previous bout of agitation, this time has ensured heavy deployment of state police force along with 55 companies (about 5500 personnel) of paramilitary personnel drawn from CRPF, ITBP and BSF.
Close vigil is being maintained across the state, including on national highways and railway tracks which the protesters had blocked for several days in February.
Prohibitory orders under Section 144 remained in force at sensitive places in eight districts and a special round-the-clock control room has been set up in Chandigarh to monitor the situation.
The police and administration are keeping a close watch on miscreants trying to use the social media to spread rumours.
Jat leaders in Jassia village of Rohtak district, the epicentre of violence during the stir, held a dharna as part of the second round of the agitation which started on a tepid note on Sunday with influential Khap panchayats and some Jat factions distancing themselves from the protests.
Haryana's Sarv Khap Jat Panchayat, which had been at the forefront demanding reservations for Jats in government jobs when the stir was held in February, has this time decided to stay out of the stir, preferring to wait and watch for the outcome of the case before the courts.
However, one prominent Khap from Bhiwani extended its support to the ongoing Jat stir today.
The Jat protesters are demanding quota under OBC category, withdrawal of cases registered against community members during the previous stir, status of martyrs for those killed and jobs for their next of kin, besides compensation for the injured.
After the Jat agitation in February, which caused lot of death and destruction, the state government had brought laws to provide 10 per cent reservation for Jats and five other communities under a newly carved Backward Classes (C) category.
However, the High Court stayed it, acting on a public interest litigation, after which some Jat groups announced the fresh stir.
Yashpal Malik has maintained that the Jats were willing
to wait for reservation since the matter was sub-judice, but they wanted all other demands to be accepted immediately.
Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar had earlier said the government accepted the demand of the Jats to give job to the next of kin of those who had lost their lives in the agitation last year.
In the fresh round of the Jat stir, paramilitary forces have been deployed in sensitive areas in Haryana while state police personnel, in large numbers, are maintaining strict vigil.
Security has been further strengthened in many sensitive districts and at the Rohtak residences of Haryana Finance Minister Abhimanyu and former chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, the officials said.
Arsonists had set Abhimanyu's Rohtak house on fire during last year stir, in which 30 people had died and property was damaged. However, this time the state has been put on maximum alert, the officials said.
Notably, Rohtak and some of its neighbouring districts, including Sonipat and Jhajjar, had been worst-hit by the violence which broke out during last year.
Malik has said that February 19 would be observed as 'Balidan Divas' in memory of all those who lost their lives in last year.
Over the past few days, the number of protesters at various dharna sites, especially in sensitive districts, had been going up.
Apart from the reservation for Jats, demands include release of arrested youths from jails, withdrawal of cases during last year's agitation and government jobs to the kin of youths killed and those injured during the earlier stir.
Their demands also include action against BJP MP from Kurukshetra Raj Kumar Saini over his alleged anti-Jat rants.
