Jats to observe 'Black Day' on Sunday

Even as their protest completed 28 days on Saturday, the Jat community has decided to observe 'Black Day' on February 26 (Sunday).

Jat community leaders, under the aegis of the All India Jat Aarakshan Sangharsh Samiti (AIJASS), have decided to observe 'Black Day' to protest against their demands not being implemented by Haryana's BJP government.

Authorities in Haryana said on Saturday they have geared up to face any situation resulting from the ongoing Jat agitation.

Additional Chief Secretary, Home, Ram Niwas said: "We have ordered district officials to maintain law and order. They have been directed to ensure that life is not affected and traffic on roads and highways is not disrupted."

"Adequate para-military forces have been stationed," he said.

He said, if need be, the traffic would be diverted at some places.

"DCs (Deputy Commissioners) and SPs (Superintendent of Police) are in touch with Jat leaders to see where traffic has to be diverted," Ram Niwas said.

He said that parleys were being held with Jat leaders on the issues raised by them and these were being examined by the government.

Talks between the state government and Jat leaders hit a roadblock on Tuesday as the Haryana government made it clear that it has no jurisdiction to withdraw cases being investigated by the CBI against Jat leaders over violence during the agitation last year.

Withdrawal of cases, including those on sedition charges, against Jat leaders is one of the eight demands of the Jat community, which has been agitating in Haryana since January 29.

The Jat leadership had held its second round of talks with a high-level panel of officers, led by Haryana Chief Secretary D.S. Dhesi, in Panipat on Monday.

The talks had remained inconclusive even though the Haryana government led by Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar had agreed to accept some of their demands regarding enhancement of compensation for those injured in the Jat agitation violence last year.

Haryana's Advocate General has told the Jat leaders that the cases being investigated by the CBI could not be withdrawn by the Haryana government.

The Jat community members have been holding protests across Haryana in support of their demands.

Their demands include reservation for Jats, jobs to the next of kin of those killed in violence in the Jat agitation last year, compensation to those injured, withdrawal of cases against them and action against officers who ordered action against the Jats, among others.

Violence during the agitation last year left 30 people dead and over 200 injured.

Government and private property worth hundreds of crores was damaged during the violence in February 2016.

--IANS

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