The Centre has reached out to the agitating Jat community. A high level committee will be constituted by today evening to look into their demand of reservation in government jobs. Union Ministers and community leaders have appealed for calm. Home minister Rajnath Singh held a high level meeting to assess the situation.
The meeting was attended by External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval along with senior officials.
Cabinet Secretary P K Sinha reviewed the situation in Haryana. He held a meeting through video conferencing with Haryana Chief Secretary and state DGP.
He asked the state administration to ensure safety of people and property there.
Meanwhile, Jat leaders from Delhi and Uttar Pradesh met Home Minister Rajnath Singh to discuss the situation in Haryana.After the meeting, Union Minister Sanjeev Balyan said that the government is positive about the demands of the Jat community.
Jat-agitation has hit normal life in Haryana, as protesters refused to show signs of any let up in their agitation, till a legislation is passed giving them OBC quota.
33 columns of para-millitary forces and Army have been deployed in nine districts of the state, and curfew has been clamped in five towns including Rohtak and Bhiwani.
Shoot at sight orders have been issued and 6 persons have died so far in the entire state in the ensuing violence.
Army has carried out flag marches in 9 districts. The protesters set RN Mall in Rohtak on fire, even as Army started moving in to bring the situation under control.
The protesters also looted a private armoury in Rohtak. According to reports, the administration has shut schools in violence-hit districts of the state.
BJP has appealed to agitators to maintain peace. Union Rural Development Minister Chaudhary Birender Singh appealed to the Jat community to restrain from violence, and solve the issue through dialogue.
Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar held a key meeting with his ministers and top officials to take stock of the situation.
He appealed to the protesters to maintain peace and solve the reservation issue through talks.
He said the government is ready to “accept” the demands of the protesters within the ambit of the law.
National Capital Delhi is facing an acute water crisis as Jat agitators shut down the canal that feeds Yamuna water to Delhi.
Meanwhile Delhi’s Water Minister Kapil Mishra has said that Delhi government has made adequate arrangements for supply of water on Sunday.
Delhi Jal Board has been asked to provide water tankers to ensure uninterrupted water supply in the national capital.
Staring at a serious water crisis, Delhi Government has moved the Supreme Court, seeking a direction to the Centre to intervene and ensure water supply to the national capital from Munak Canal in neighbouring Haryana which has been affected due to the Jat stir.
Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and Water Minister Kapil Mishra took up the matter with Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh.
Both Sisodia and Mishra met Union Home Minister and apprised him of the “water crisis” in Delhi due to the Jat stir.
They sought the Centre’s help to resolve the situation. The Union Home Minister has assured the Delhi government of finding a solution to the problem.