Jat reservation stir: As it happened on Monday

Chandigarh: A day after the Haryana government promised to provide reservation to Jats, blockades began to be removed from key points in the state on Monday morning. However, stray incidents of violence are still being reported.

Live Updates

- BJP committee calls Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar tomorrow for talks on Jat stir

- "The time has come that the economically weak and underprivileged from the general categories irrespective of the caste or community they belong to are also provided the reservation benefits," says Singh.

 

- Senior Congress leader Amarinder Singh strongly favoures extending the benefits of reservation to economically weaker sections among the general category.

- Two persons killed as Jat protesters clash with security forces at Sonipat; Death toll rises to 18, reports PIT.

Delhi: Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh leaves 7 RCR after meeting PM Narendra Modi pic.twitter.com/20KzkpHPAH — ANI (@ANI_news) February 22, 2016

- Home Minister Rajnath Singh meets Narendra Modi to apprise him of Jat row.

- Non-political committee should be formed to decide eligibility for reservation, says RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat.

- Former CM Hooda's aide Birendra Singh heard in a sting audio, saying 'Sirsa me kyu kuch nhi ho raha', ABP news reported.

- As protesters continued to block some roads including the arterial Delhi-Ambala Highway, the Centre directs security forces to use force to clear blockades.

- Fresh violence breaks out in Haryana, death toll reaches 16, as per PTI.

- 'Appeal everyone to end this agitation,' says Union Minister Chaudhary Birender Singh.

Properties damaged due to #Jat agitation in Rohtak (Haryana) pic.twitter.com/xiU3y2gwdI — ANI (@ANI_news) February 22, 2016

- Special committee meeting underway in Venkaiah Naidu’s residence.

Delhi: Special committee meeting on #JatReservation agitation at Union Minister Venkaiah Naidu's residence pic.twitter.com/BNWY48c1r4 — ANI (@ANI_news) February 22, 2016

- "Sabhi logon se ye appeal hai ki ab apne ghar jayen," says Malik.

- Yashpal Malik of Jat Aarakshan Sangharsh Samiti asks the agitators to end the stir.

- Jat reservation stir worsens, three casualties in Army firing in Haryana's Sonipat district, ANI reports.

- In Faridabad, five persons have been booked for blocking the national highway, pelting stones at police personnel and damaging government property to demand quota for Jats

- A large number of stick-welding protesters vandalised a mall and several shops in the violence-hit Kaithal district today. Agitators also set afire a two-wheeler in the district - PTI

- As per our information, 16 people have lost their lives so far, adds Ram Bilas Sharma 

- Situation normalising, Delhi-Jaipur highway, Delhi-Mathura road are now open. Many Railway tracks also cleared, says Haryana minister Ram Bilas Sharma

 - Delhi Police stops former Haryana CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda's convoy in Mundka at Delhi-Haryana border 

- Committee constituted under the chairmanship of Venkaiah Naidu on Jat reservation will meet later today

- Haryana Cabinet is currently meeting in Chandigarh to discuss Jat reservation

- Jat quota fire spreads to Rajasthan, protesters set bus on fire in Bharatpur

- Situation is peaceful, roads are open,other minor blockades will be opned soon - KK Rao, Haryana Police

- SC declines to entertain the plea, says such issues should not be brought to court

- SC says matters like these should be left for the government to handle and the leaders should take stock of the situation

- PIL filed in SC seeking court to step into law and order breakdown pertaining to Jat agitation

- ANI is reporting that the Rohtak bypass at Delhi-Bahadurgarh border chowk has been blocked by protesters again

- Freight train set on fire by protesters in Ganaur, Sonepat

- Meanwhile, Rohtak Bypass at Delhi-Bahadurgarh border chowk has been reopened

- Everybody has opportunity to raise issues but they should be discussed according to rules. Our appeal is - debate, discuss, decide, don't disrupt, says Venkaiah Naidu

 

- Northern Railways is running a special train between Chandigarh and Delhi's Anand Vihar terminal to clear backlog of passengers

- CNN-IBN is reporting that some Jat protesters have set some vehicles on fire in Meham.

- Protesters continue to block highway in Jhajjar, reports ANI.

- Haryana government informs Supreme Court that water from Munak canal will reach Delhi by this evening

- Meanwhile, hearing a Delhi government plea seeking Centre's intervention for uninterrupted supply of water from Munak canal in Haryana, the Supreme Court today issued notices to Haryana government, UP government and Central government

- Singhu border is also now open for traffic, announces Delhi Police

 

- Army has taken control of Munak Canal. Our team is going there, repair work will be done, says Delhi Minister Kapil Mishra

- Next 10 days will be crucial. We appeal to people to use water conservatively, says Delhi Jal Board CEO Keshav Chandra

- A committee has been constituted but first normalcy should return in Haryana, says Union minister Venkaiah Naidu. Only after normalcy returns that we can debate and analyse what has happened till now. It will take time, he adds

- Samjhauta Express cancelled today due to Jat reservation agitation. Delhi-Lahore bus service also cancelled for today

- Haryana Cabinet to meet at 1:30 pm today on Jat reservation issue

 

- NH-8 is open but NH-1 and NH-10 are still not open for traffic, says Delhi Police

- As per the latest inputs received, most borders connecting Delhi are now open except Singhu border, says Delhi Police

- Six CRPF companies and two Army columns reached Munak Canal in Sonepat at 4 am today and started repair work

- No road blockade in Gurgaon this morning. Expected to remain normal today. Gurgaon Police in control of situation. RAF deployed, says Gurgaon police chief

 

Morning story

Crucially, the Army along with the Rapid Action Force managed to take control of the Munak Canal that supplies water to Delhi. As per ANI, the site has now been cleared of protesters raising hopes of partial water supply by evening in the capital.

The Delhi-Chandigarh Highway, which was blocked by protesters, has also been cleared.

The developments came as security forces moved in to get blockades by Jat protesters removed along highways and railway tracks.

As per IANS, no untoward incident, except for the blockades, was reported in the state in the past 12 hours.

Some protesters started going back to their places early on Monday, police sources said.

After the BJP government promised to give reservation to Jats and assured that a Bill will be brought in the next session of the Haryana Assembly, Jat leaders had appealed to the protesters to end the agitation.

The Centre also decided to set up a committee to look into the Jat reservation demand.

The Jat agitation, which is into its ninth day on Monday, has left 11 people dead and over 150 injured.

Hundreds of shops were vandalised and set on fire in Rohtak, Bhiwani, Jhajjar and other places.

A number of government and private buildings and vehicles were also set on fire in the past four days as mob of youth went on the rampage in over 10 districts in Haryana.

The state government had to requisition the Army and paramilitary forces to contain the situation. However, the violent protests continued and even spread to other areas of the state.

(With agency inputs)