HC seeks status report on Jat agitation by Monday

Chandigarh: Punjab and Haryana High Court Tuesday asked the Haryana Government to file a status report by Monday on the Jat agitation which has claimed 19 lives and caused extensive damage to public and private property.

A division bench comprising justices S K Mittal and H S Sidhu gave the directions to the state's Advocate General B R Mahajan on a PIL filed by Bhiwani resident Murari Lal Gupta.

The petitioner alleged that there is no law and order situation in the whole of Haryana particularly Rohtak, Bhiwani and Jind districts.

He submitted that the "whole of Rohtak has been converted into ashes" due to acts of arson, violence and vandalism.

The bench hoped that the people of Haryana will understand the situation and keep calm. The court said that all political parties and their leaders should think about the welfare of people.

"Let Haryana remain Haryana as it is known. Otherwise it will go back by 50 years," the bench observed.

The petitioner submitted that there is atmosphere of terror in Haryana and the ground reality as is being projected by the government is far from the truth.

The bench also asked the AG of Haryana to prepare an inventory of the causalities suffered and loss suffered by the innocent people.

Otherwise at a later stage even the insurance companies may deny the relief on the ground that the files are not available, the bench observed.

The AG pointed out that two petitions in this regard are also pending before the Supreme Court which are likely to be taken up tomorrow.