New Delhi :
Buckling under pressure from agitating Jats, BJP today announced that a Bill for giving OBC status to Jats will be brought in the coming Haryana Assembly session and a high-powered committee will be set up to examine the quota demand for the community in central jobs. Meanwhile, Curfew was also lifted from Kaithal and Kalayat after protests in the two towns subsided following the Central government’s announcement of setting up a committee under a senior Union minister to examine the quota demand for the community in government jobs.
We take a look at the top developments of the day:
1. Har govt to bring in bill for OBC quota to Jats: BJP
Buckling under pressure from agitating Jats, BJP today announced that a Bill for giving OBC status to Jats will be brought in the coming Haryana Assembly session and a high-powered committee will be set up to examine the quota demand for the community in central jobs.
BJP general secretary in-charge of Haryana Anil Jail also appealed to the Jats who have been protesting in Haryana to call off their agitation, which has badly hit life in the region, and return to their homes as their demands have been met.
“A bill will be brought in the coming session of the Haryana Assembly for granting OBC status to the Jats in the state,” Jain said after a Jat delegation had an hour-long meeting with Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh.
Haryana is ruled by a BJP government headed by M L Khattar.
Jain said a high-powered committee headed by a senior Union Minister will be set up today to look into the demand of reservation of jobs in central government for the Jats.
2. Schools to remain close tomorrow
Faced with cut in water supply from Haryana due to the Jat stir, the Delhi government announced closure of schools tomorrow as part of water rationing in the city to deal with the crisis.
After a high-level emergency meeting, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal today said barring Rashtrapati Bhavan, offices and residences of the Prime Minister, Chief Justice of India, defence installations, hospitals and fire brigade, water will be rationed equally among others. He said his residence and office will also come under water rationing.
He said disruption in water supply to Delhi from Haryana’s Munak canal due to the Jat agitation has severely affected the city and appealed to the people to conserve water as much as possible.
“Barring President,PM,CJI,defence installations, hospis,fire brigades- water to be equally rationed amongst all. Pl save water. Schools closed tomo,” Kejriwal said in a tweet.
3. Situation tense
DGP YP Singhal said Army's 69 columns have reached Haryana and have been deployed, maximum deployment has been done in Jhajjar and Rohtak. 49 companies of para military forces sent. 39 have reached Haryana and 24 deployed, rest are deployed through air
4. Traffic and tourism affected
Be it rail, road or air, traffic is at a huge loss following the Jat agitation in Haryana which has now moved to several parts of Delhi.
Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC) today suspended all bus services on routes passing through Haryana in view of the Jat agitation.
“HRTC routes passing through Haryana are being suspended till there is assurance of safety of our buses and passengers from Haryana government,” state Transport minister G S Bali said.
He added that all passengers are advised to check the status from concerned bus stands regarding plying of buses through Haryana area.
Staring at a serious water crisis, Delhi government tonight moved the Supreme Court, seeking a direction to the Centre to intervene and ensure water supply to the national capital from Munak Canal in neighbouring Haryana which has been affected due to the Jat stir.
“Delhi government moves SC on water crisis. Petition accepted. Likely to be heard on Sunday morning(sic),” Delhi Water Minister Kapil Mishra tweeted.
Earlier, Delhi government’s senior standing counsel Rahul Mehra said a petition is being moved before the apex court, seeking urgent hearing on the issue and a plea is being made that the Centre should deploy army to ensure supply of water from Munak Canal.
The Registrar of the Supreme Court said it will be known tomorrow whether the Delhi government’s petition would be taken up on Sunday or Monday.
“Water should be supplied immediately to Delhi as it is lifeline of people,” he said, adding all water plants in Delhi are shut as the protesters have “taken over” the canal.
Mehra said the Lutyen’s zone and several other areas are not getting water. “The army should ensure that Delhi gets water immediately,” he said.
5. Delhi water shortage
The Delhi government had last night moved the Supreme Court, seeking a direction to the Centre to intervene and ensure water supply from Munak canal.
The Chief Minister said all the water treatment plants have been shut and even if Haryana releases water today it will take at least 24 hours more to restore the supply.
“There is very little water as it is not coming from there (canal). All the water treatment plants are closed and whatever water is stored in reservoirs is being supplied through the tankers,” he said.
Delhi is staring at huge water shortage in next one or two days with 60 per cent of water supply affected due to the Jat stir.
