Farce of a failure in Haryana

Naveen S Garewal in chandigarh

THE tragedy of a government’s incompetence need not turn into a farce if memory serves the amnesiac leadership right. The good news for the Manohar Lal Khattar government grappling with ways to forgetting the Feb 2016 unprecedented violence at the peak of the Jat quota stir is that some compensation amount has flowed around and a panel has indicted over 80 administrative and police personnel for laxity. The bad news is public memory sought to be shortened by these steps has refused to oblige. So, the state government’s claim of “no intelligence failure” in the run-up to the violence plus its cockiness at keeping the Prakash Singh report under wraps have met with only derisive repudiation and a sense of disbelief. 

First, from Khattar himself: The CM first told his officers that he would rather prefer putting the report on the internet for all to see the truth. Then, a few days later he told his supporters at Pipli that “we will not disclose the report before giving it to the High Court.” Meanwhile two weeks have passed and the entire administration appears mystified as to who the “indicted” are. Adding to the intrigue is Parkash Singh acknowledging pressure on him to “exonerate” a few wrongdoers. This has only sharpened the opposition offensive, with many saying that the ruling BJP is hiding the truth. 

Second, ‘no intelligence failure’: The CM, who also handles the Home portfolio, has repeatedly said there was no intelligence failure. Prakash Singh, too, has in a stray remark given a clean chit to the state intelligence. Press the memory button to get it straight: 

• Feb 2: Sarva Khap Jat Panchayat threatens to intensify protest by blocking roads at about 40 places in the state on February 15 at a Jind rally.
• Feb 9: CM Khattar holds talks with a section of the community; sets up a panel under the chief secretary to review the quota. Jat groups put off the Feb 15 protest.
• Feb 12: Jats unite under All-India Jat Arakshan Sangharsh Samiti, resume stir from Mayyar (Hisar) after a rally by blocking railway tracks on Delhi-Hisar section.
• Feb 14: Khap and other leaders hold Swabhiman Rally at Sampla (Rohtak). Young members block the Delhi-Fazilka (NH-10) passing through Sampla.
• Feb 15: Even when the CM and Agriculture Minister OP Dhankar are in Rohtak, protesters block roads linking the town to Delhi, Sonepat and Jhajjar.
• Feb 16: The agitation intensifies. College students roughed up. Rohtak completely cut off. Agitation spreads to Sonepat, Jhajjar, Bhiwani and other towns.

There’s more 

Former Rohtak deputy commissioner DK Behera wrote in his report as district magistrate to the Prakash Singh Committee. “There was no intelligence input from the CID after 14th Feb till 19th Feb except one information on blockade on 17th Feb on Whatsapp. The last report from CID was received on 19th Feb regarding the looting of a gun house. The reports were completely silent on the mode, planning and nature of violence orchestrated by the mob in Rohtak between Feb 19 and 21.”

He told the Committee: “Despite pointed out by me the fact that all major roads leading to Rohtak have been blocked by the Jat agitators, the Army was sent on road which proved to be a major failure as none of the army columns could reach Rohtak either on 19th evening or 20th. As news of army columns coming to Rohtak spread, the agitators and the Jat Villagers dug up all the link roads thus effectively preventing the army from reaching the Rohtak city by any means.” 

Behera also wrote: “Senior police officers like the IG, DIG, and SP failed to provide leadership to the lower police machinery during the critical period of 19th afternoon. They did not take any action against the mob despite the presence of duty magistrate”. 

Cases fall flat 

The state intelligence had claimed to have cracked the “conspiracy” behind the violence after an audio became viral where former political advisor to Hooda was heard talking to a Khap leader. The intelligence had to eat humble pie when their conspiracy theory was proved wrong in two separate court orders granting bail to Prof Virender and Captain Mann Singh. While arresting former CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda’s former political aide Prof Virender Singh and Mann Singh for sedition and other charges on the basis of their telephonic conversation, the intel had sought to convince people that they had unraveled a big conspiracy.

While granting bail to Prof Virender on March 30, the District and Sessions Judge, Rohtak, Sushil K Gupta observed that “... from his interrogation no fact could be discovered to arrive at the conclusion, even remotely, that he had instigated the agitators in any way...” 

While granting bail to Mann Singh on May 18, the additional district and sessions judge Jasbir Singh observed that “It is clear that no fact has been discovered to arrive at the conclusion that the accused-applicant had played any role in violence which erupted on account of agitation for reservation...”

Former CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda asks: “Is the government run only by officers? What is the responsibility of the elected representatives, ministers and the chief minister?”