Jat quota row: Haryana inches towards normalcy; NH-1, NH-10 still closed

Life in Haryana limped back to normal on Monday with Jat protesters starting to lift blockades in various parts of the state after the BJP announced the setting up of a committee under a Central minister to examine the quota demand for the community.

While NH-8 has been opened to traffic, NH-1 and NH-10 are still closed. The Delhi-Lahore bus service, and the Samjhauta Express, were both halted on 22 February in lieu of the agitation.

The Haryana Cabinet will meet later today to further discuss the Jat reservation issue.

Committee has been constituted but first normalcy should return in the state:V Naidu, Committee head #JatReservation pic.twitter.com/fPtYBhbU78

- ANI (@ANI_news) February 22, 2016

After a tense few days, normalcy resumed to cities like Kaithal. The curfew on Kaithal and nearby Kalayat was lifted on 21 February. Officials expect the situation to improve considerably in other affected areas today.

However, in Rohtak, the epicentre of the pro-quota Jat agitation, the curfew remained in force despite no reports of violence and arson in the last 24 hours. A senior Rohtak police official said, "There was no major incident in the last 24 hours in Rohtak. Last night was peaceful".

Police said that the situation was likely to improve on 22 February, despite there being a few roadblocks at certain places in Rohtak. "There are blockades in some places in the outer areas of Rohtak but the situation in the city was normal. Protesters have returned to their homes," a senior official in the Rohtak district administration said today.

"But the protesters are still sitting at the Maharishi Dayanand University (MDU). We hope they will also soon go back to their homes," the official said.

Rohtak and other areas witnessed major damage to public and private property after the Jat protest turned violent. Following the incidents of violence and arson, curfew was imposed in Rohtak, Bhiwani, Jhajjar, Jind, Hissar, Hansi, Sonipat and Gohana town of Sonipat.

(With inputs from PTI)