Accused granted bail, but Jats continue protest against Saini

INK ATTACK AIJASS president Yashpal Malik supports ongoing dharna by 12 khap representatives in Hisar for action against BJP MP for his anti-Jat remarks; khap mahapanchayat on October 27

CHANDIGARH/ROHTAK/HISAR: Even as the five accused in the ink attack on BJP MP Raj Kumar Saini were granted bail by a Kurukshetra court on Monday, khaps and Jat groups continued protests against Saini, demanding action against him for his anti-Jat statements.

The five accused, identified as Harikesh, Parveen, Saurav, Jitender and Sandeep, all residents of a village in Hisar district had been booked under Section 307, 120B, 353, 323 of the IPC and SIT had been formed to look into the ink attack on Saini on October 16.

The police had on Friday dropped Section 307 (attempt to murder) of the IPC in the case in the wake of protests by Jat bodies and khaps in various parts of the state. During investigations, the police found that it was an ordinary ink without any chemical in it and it was not an assault to murder Saini.

On Monday, All India Jat Aarakshan Sangharsh Samiti (AIJASS) national president Yashpal Malik supported the ongoing indefinite dharna by representatives of 12 khaps at Narnaund town in Hisar.

Meanwhile, as the dharna entered the fifth day, the

khap representatives threatened to hold a mahapanchayat of khaps on October 27.

Suresh Koth, who is leading the dharna, said, “If the government does not take any action against Saini till October 27, we will call a mahapanchayat of khaps across the country to decide the future course of action of our agitation”

The khaps are also demanding action against Saini for allegedly getting the youths who threw ink on him thrashed by the police.

“We are also planning to hold a protest on November 1 in Gurugram during the inaugural function of the year-long celebrations of state’s golden jubilee,” Koth said.

He said Satrol khap, Rogi khap, Binyan khap, Nain khap, Dalal khap, Chapol khap, Malik khap, Panchgami khap, Daran khap, Nougama khap, Dhull Khap and Barah Khap were supporting the dharna.

Talking to HT, AIJASS president Malik said, “The Haryana government must take action against Saini for his repeated statements against the Jat community. The government should register a case against him as he ordered the police to thrash the youths who threw ink on him.”

Malik said Jats would not vote for BJP in the poll-bound states of Uttar Pradesh (UP) and Punjab if the Haryana government failed to take proper action against Saini.

In Rohtak, Jat groups gathered at Mansarovar Park on Monday and demanded action against Saini.

Having already forced Saini to cancel his rally in Charkhi Dadri on Saturday, they demanded that the MP be booked under sedition charges for his comments against the Jat community.

The protesters burnt the effigy of the government and warned of a stir if action against the MP was not taken soon.

Besides, the Jats demanded that supporters of the MP who allegedly thrashed the Jat youths soon after they hurled ink on him be arrested and action be taken against police officials who allowed Saini supporters to have a free run.

Jat leader Atmanand Deswal said the Kurukshetra MP had been bad mouthing about the Jat community and was the sole reason behind the violent quota stir in February that claimed over 30 lives.

The government must take action against Saini for his repeated statements against the Jat community. It should also register case against him as he ordered the police to thrash the youths who threw ink on him. YASHPAL MALIK , AIJASS national president