Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar was heckled in Rohtak Tuesday when he arrived there to address the public and reassure them everybody would be compensated for their losses. He also said if government and police officials did not perform their duty or are found guilty in the protests, they would be punished.
The crowd jostled the minister, surrounded his car and raised black flags, demanding compensation and punishment for "looters" who destroyed public and private property, reports the Press Trust of India. Haryana has seen violent protests over the past 10 days as the Jat community demanded reservation for greater academic and employment opportunities.
Even as the protests ebbed in some places Monday, fresh violence led to two more deaths, bringing the toll to 18, while 200 were injured, reported NDTV. Losses have been pegged at Rs 34,000 crore by the PHD Chamber of Commerce.
Neighbouring Delhi also suffered due to the mob violence as the city's water supply was cut off when the Munak canal was damaged. The destruction affected the lives of 10 million people in Delhi.
The Punjab and Haryana High Court has ordered the state to file a report regarding the 10-day-long protests, which led to the deployment of the Army.
Meanwhile, the Congress has issued a show-cause notice to Prof Virender, who was former chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda's political advisor.
"It has come to our notice through media and social media that an audio clipping circulated on the evening of 21st February, 2016, it has been alleged that you are responsible for instigating the protesters to start violent agitation in other districts of the state which were comparatively peaceful and that too with the support of our rival political party namely INLD and their student wing INSO, (sic)" Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee president Ashok Tanwar was quoted as saying by Firstpost.
Tension in the state began to ebb Tuesday after the BJP-led government assure the Jat community a bill in the Assembly would be tabled to ensure reservation for them. National highways have opened and curfew has been lifted from Rohtak. Schools and colleges are to stay close till Wednesday, reports the Quint.
[1 lakh = 100,000 | 1 crore = 10 million | 100 crore = 1 billion]
