A leader of the All India Jat Arakshan Sangharsh Samiti and 125 others have been named on Friday in a case of sedition for allegedly creating disharmony and disturbing peace as they called for fresh protests in Haryana over the issue of reservations. The Punjab and Haryana High Court on Thursday had stayed the state government's decision to give reservations in jobs and academic institutions to those belonging to the Jat and five other communities.
Yashpal Malik, the Jat leader, on Wednesday addressed a gathering and called for fresh agitations from June 5 to demand reservations for Jats, withdrawal of cases against people who had participated in the February protests and compensation to kin of those killed during the protests.
"A case has been registered against Yashpal Malik and 125 others for instigating people for agitation that can disturb peace and harm communal harmony in the state," police was quoted as saying by the Press Trust of India.
A case under Section 124 A (sedition), 153 A (1) and 153 (b) (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race etc) of the Indian Penal Code has been registered against the 126 people.
Malik has not only used language that would instigate fresh protests, but he's also called for agitation in other states, the police said. They added that they have launched an investigation and are likely to arrest the people involved.
Protests in February by the Jat community turned violent in various districts of the state, leading to the death of 30 people and damage to property worth millions. The Haryana government had agreed to give 10 percent reservation in Class III and IV posts and educational institutions and six per cent quota in Class I and II posts to Jats, Jat Sikhs, Rors, Bishnois, Tyagis and Muslim Jats in Schedule-III. The high court, however, stayed the order, telling the the government to file its reply by July 21.
