Jat quota stir: No early hearing, SC asks people to maintain peace

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday refused to accord urgent hearing of a PIL seeking directions to restore law and order in Haryana in the wake of the Jat quota agitation, saying it had no reason to believe that the government was not taking due action.

"We have no reason to believe that the government is not taking action in the matter. We appeal to the people to maintain peace and not damage property. We can only say amity and brotherhood be there among all communities. Rest is for government to decide," a bench comprising Chief Justice T S Thakur and Justice U U Lalit said.

The apex court said this plea would come on board in due course and declined the oral request for an urgent hearing.

A Delhi-based advocate has moved the court alleging "total collapse" of administration in Haryana on account of the Jat quota stir.

The observations came during the hearing of the PIL filed by Ajay Jain who alleged that Haryana has "miserably failed" to follow its constitutional duties and to guarantee the right of life and personal liberty.

"There is an ongoing agitation in the state of Haryana for past around a week which has turned violent in last 3 days and the State of Haryana is not controlling the mob which has left no stone unturned in looting public as well as private properties throughout the state of Haryana and District Rohtak in particular.

"It is submitted that already more than 10 precious lives have been lost in the agitation, thousands have got injured and property worth thousands of crore have been destroyed before the eyes of administration," Jain said in his plea.