New Delhi:
The Supreme Court today offered a pointed critique of the "support" being given by the Chief Ministers of Haryana and Uttar Pradesh to the Jat agitation that has seen protesters blocking highways and train tracks, mainly in Haryana, for the last few weeks. The court has ordered the governments of Rajasthan, UP and Haryana to ensure that the supply of water and other essential commodities to Delhi is not affected.
Forty two trains were cancelled today. So far this month, a thousand trains have been cancelled and close to 400 trains have been diverted on account of the demonstrations.
The Jats want jobs in the government to be set aside for them under an Other Backward Class (OBC) quota.
"We are constrained to pass the order having regard to the statements made by the highest functionaries of Haryana and Uttar Pradesh indicating support to the agitation," the two judges said.
Two urgent petitions had been filed in the Supreme Court by the Delhi Jal Board and the Indian Oil Corporation in the wake of threats by Jats to block movement of essential commodities to Delhi.
The directions were given by a bench comprising justices Altamas Kabir and Dalveer Bhandari which held a hearing despite it being a holiday in the Supreme Court.
The bench, in its order, said, "Essential commodities reaching Delhi either by road or railways should not be stopped. It is needless to say that the state governments shall take every necessary step in this regard."
The Jats have indicated they are likely to scale up their protests after a protester who was fasting died in a village near Chandigarh. Vijay Singh who was believed to be 60-years-old, had been on a hunger strike since March 12.
The Punjab and Haryana High Court has already asked the Haryana government to explain why Jat protesters, who have planted themselves on tracks linked to nearly 15 key train routes have not been removed.
Forty two trains were cancelled today. So far this month, a thousand trains have been cancelled and close to 400 trains have been diverted on account of the demonstrations.
The Jats want jobs in the government to be set aside for them under an Other Backward Class (OBC) quota.
"We are constrained to pass the order having regard to the statements made by the highest functionaries of Haryana and Uttar Pradesh indicating support to the agitation," the two judges said.
Two urgent petitions had been filed in the Supreme Court by the Delhi Jal Board and the Indian Oil Corporation in the wake of threats by Jats to block movement of essential commodities to Delhi.
The directions were given by a bench comprising justices Altamas Kabir and Dalveer Bhandari which held a hearing despite it being a holiday in the Supreme Court.
The bench, in its order, said, "Essential commodities reaching Delhi either by road or railways should not be stopped. It is needless to say that the state governments shall take every necessary step in this regard."
The Jats have indicated they are likely to scale up their protests after a protester who was fasting died in a village near Chandigarh. Vijay Singh who was believed to be 60-years-old, had been on a hunger strike since March 12.
The Punjab and Haryana High Court has already asked the Haryana government to explain why Jat protesters, who have planted themselves on tracks linked to nearly 15 key train routes have not been removed.
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