BJP govt should apologise for Jat quota violence: Hooda
KARNAL: Former Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda on Friday demanded apology from the Bjp-led government in Haryana for the Jat quota violence in February 2016, in which 30 people were killed and property worth several crores of rupees was damaged.
“The government was responsible for the violence and losses. This was not only alleged by Balraj Singh Kundu (independent MLA), but the Prakash Singh Committee report had also indicated it. Now, the government should apologise without any further delay,” Hooda said while talking to mediapersons at Karnal on Friday.
“Some people might be involved (in the violence) but an entire community cannot be blamed for it,” he added in an obvious reference to Jat youths booked in the violence.
Hooda’s statement comes a day after a ‘mahapanchayat’ of the Jat community decided to pardon the youths accused of setting on fire former Haryana finance minister Captain Abhimanyu’s Rohtak residence on February 19, 2016.
The CBI had filed a chargesheet against 51 people in connection with violence and arson at Abhimanyu’s residence. The khap leaders also held them guilty and imposed a collective fine of Rs 11,000 on them.
“The panchayat’s agreement is a welcome move,” Hooda said.
Replying to a question Hooda said the paddy purchase scam has caused a loss of several crores of rupees to farmers, but the government was not taking the issue seriously.
Hooda also demanded a special girdawari to assess the loss caused to crops due to hailstorm and rain in the state.