‘Balidan Divas’: 25 companies of Central forces deployed

CHANDIGARH: In all, 25 companies of the Central Armed Police Forces have been deployed across the state in view of ‘Jat Balidan Divas’ being organised by the Yashpal-Malik-led All-India Jat Aarakshan Sangharsh Samiti (AIJASS) in all 22 districts tomorrow.

Paramilitary forces deployed in Rohtak on Saturday. Photo: Manoj Dhaka

Sushil Manav

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, February 17

In all, 25 companies of the Central Armed Police Forces have been deployed across the state in view of ‘Jat Balidan Divas’ being organised by the Yashpal-Malik-led All-India Jat Aarakshan Sangharsh Samiti (AIJASS) in all 22 districts tomorrow.

Sources say the major deployment is in sensitive districts such as Rohtak, Sonepat, Jind and Jhajjar.

“Central forces have been deployed as a precautionary measure. But we do not see any reason for disturbance in view of the recent compromise between the state government and Jat leaders,” said SS Prasad, Additional Chief Secretary (Home).

He said 25 companies of the Central forces out of those called for the Jind rally had stayed back in view of the Bharatiya Kisan Union’s call to block roads leading to Delhi on February 23.

“The Central forces will be deployed till the BKU’s programme,” Prasad added.

The AIJASS has announced ‘Balidan Divas’ to pay homage to youths killed in the quota violence in February 2016. In all, 31 persons, including 18 Jats, were killed then.

“As per our earlier programme, we were to announce our future course of action on February 18. As the state government has already accepted our demands, Jats will assemble tomorrow morning and disperse in the afternoon after paying homage to 18 Jats killed in February 2016 and three others who died during agitations before 2016,” Malik said.

He said ‘Balidan Divas’ functions would be held in all 22 districts of Haryana, besides in Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan.

The functions will be held at places were dharnas were organised last year, barring Jind district where the function will be held at Khatkar village instead of Ikkas village.

Malik will visit Panipat, Jassia (Rohtak) and Sonepat tomorrow.

State BKU president Gurnam Singh Charuni, meanwhile, said his organisation would block the Chandigarh-Delhi, Rohtak-Delhi, Moradabad-Delhi and Agra-Delhi roads to press for waiving farmer loans and implementing the Swaminathan Commission report.