Haryana CM heckled
Chandigarh, Feb. 23: Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar was heckled on Tuesday and shown black flags by an angry mob when he visited Rohtak, the epicentre of Jat stir, even as the violence-hit state showed signs of return to normalcy.
There were no reports of fresh violence though the situation remained tense in Jat dominated areas like Rohtak and Sonipat, nine days after the agitation erupted leaving a trail of destruction.
The death toll in the violence has been put at 19.
As soon as Mr Khattar, a first-time MLA reached Rohtak, his official car was gheraoed by angry people who raised slogans like “Haryana police murdabad” over the state police’s alleged failure in controlling the violent situation.
The Chief Minister assured the people that strictest possible action will be taken against those who indulged in arson.
Officials said that curfew remained in force in Hissar, Hansi and Bhiwani towns while it was lifted from Jind town.
Meanwhile, the district administration has asked former Haryana CM and Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda to leave Rohtak, citing maintenance of peace as the reason for the order.
Mr Hooda confirmed receiving the order advising him to leave Rohtak even as the BJP alleged that Congress had a role in the violence.
Meanwhile a BJP panel led by Venkaiah Naidu weighed various options before it for providing reservation, to which it has agreed in principle.
In another development, the Punjab and Haryana High Court asked the Haryana government to file a status report by Monday next on the Jat agitation. — PTI