Rajnath Singh: No lapse on part of Centre, Haryana

As the Manohar Lal Khattar-led Haryana government and the Central government faced flak over the recent violent Jat quota agitation, Union home minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday said there was no lapse on the part of both. Mr Singh, while replying to supplementaries in Rajya Sabha, said the Haryana government expected a solution to the Jat quota issue to emerge out of the talks with community leaders but the protests turned violent after an incident where the BSF had to open fire on protesters, claiming three lives. He said the Centre had issued an advisory and the state government had its own intelligence inputs too.

Earlier, members of various political parties slammed the government over violence in the state.

“The government of Haryana was posted with intelligence inputs and an advisory was also issued to the state on February 19,” Mr Singh said.

Rejecting criticism that there was “utter failure” on the part of the Haryana government, the Union home minister said an inquiry commission headed by former DGP Prakash Singh has been set up to look into various aspects and asked the members to wait for its report.

Giving details of the action taken following violent incidents, the Union home minister said 2012 FIRs have been registered, 370 people arrested, besides 20 cases registered by the government railway police. “Action is being taken,” he said.

In its statement, the home ministry said the Centre had deployed 69 companies of central armed police forces and 56 Army columns to maintain law and order in the state. There was “good coordination” between the Centre and the state, it said.