Haryana sets up 5-member panel as Jat protests gain momentum

Following the resumed agitation by Jats, the Haryana government on Tuesday set up a five-member committee headed by Chief Secretary D.S. Dhesi "to consider the demands and resolve the problems of those agitating for reservation" in the state.

Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Ram Niwas, Principal Secretary Industries Devender Singh, General Administration Secretary Vijayendra Kumar and Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) Mohammad Akil are on the panel.

"Any organisation, section of society or an individual can submit their viewpoint(s) and suggestion(s) to the committee, either in writing or orally. The committee will try its best to resolve their issues under the Constitution and different decisions and directions given by the Punjab and Haryana High Court," a Haryana government spokesman said on Tuesday.

He reiterated the state government's commitment to resolve the people's problems under constitutional provisions.

The BJP government's move comes in the wake of the resumed agitation by the Jats since January 29 in support of their demands and grievances.

The agitation resumed by the All India Jat Aarakshan Sangharsh Samiti led by Yashpal Malik has seen protests in 19 districts of Haryana. More protesters, including women, the elderly and children, have joined the agitation in the past week.

The protesters are seeking implementation of reservation for Jats, jobs for the kin of those killed during the earlier stir by the community in February last year and action against officials who ordered the use of force on Jat protesters.

The Jat agitation in February 2016 left 30 people dead and over 200 injured.

Haryana has been on high alert in the wake of the resumed agitation due to bitter memories of last year's large-scale violence. Rohtak, Sonipat, Panipat, Jhajjar, Jind, Fatehabad, Hisar and some other districts were the worst-affected.