Curfew in four districts - Rohtak, Bhiwani, Jhajjar and Sonipat - will be reviewed today. (PTI Photo of curfew in Rohtak)
The government committee headed by Union minister Venkaiah Naidu met today as violence by Jat protesters broke out afresh in Haryana. The committee - formed to devise how Jats can be given reservation on the lines of Other Backward Castes - today discussed ways to calm tempers. The Supreme Court has asked the protesters "to maintain peace and not damage property".
Here are the 10 latest developments in this story:
The committee, sources said, discussed the possibility of reservation for Jats within the constitutional framework. They also discussed ways to balance the demands of the Jat community in several states.
At a meeting in the evening, the state cabinet formally took a decision to introduce a bill on Jat reservation in the coming assembly session. The meeting, chaired by Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, also took stock of the situation in the state.
Fresh violence erupted in Haryana's Rohtak and Sonepat as protesters continue to block roads, including the arterial Delhi-Ambala highway, demanding a written assurance that the community will be given reservation.
Jat leaders are meeting in Bahadurgarh today to decide whether the protests will continue or be called off. Over the last nine days of protests, 16 people have died and 150 have been injured.
In Rohtak, the epicenter of the protests, the car of a judge was set on fire despite curfew. In Sonepat, trucks were set ablaze and people were beaten up on National Highway 1. Curfew is still on in four districts - Rohtak, Bhiwani, Jhajjar and Sonepat.
So far, apart from shops and vehicles, the protesters have damaged several canals and water treatment plants. The Saifabad water treatment plant, Delhi-Rewari-Jhajhar road and National Highway 1 have been repaired by the paramilitary troops.
The Munak canal, which is vital for supply to Delhi and sustained heavy damages, has been partially repaired. The water supply to Delhi is expected to be restored by Tuesday.
Yesterday, the ruling BJP had promised to bring a bill in the Haryana assembly to include the Jats as a special category within Other Backward Classes or OBCs in the state. Jat leaders say they want to read the fine-print on what "special category" means.
Jats in Haryana have been demanding the benefits of affirmative action for years. The previous Congress government had announced "Special Backward Caste" for the community in 2013, but the Punjab and Haryana High Court stalled the move last year.
The Supreme Court has rejected the inclusion of Jats in the Centre's OBC list on the ground that the National Commission of Backward Castes does not consider them socially and economically backward in Haryana.
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