Jat reservation protest: As it happened on Saturday

Protesters run, some with sticks, during a quota protest in Rohtak, Haryana on February 19, 2016.

Rohtak/Chandigarh: Jat community members are protesting across Haryana, seeking reservation in the government jobs under OBC category.

As the agitation enters seventh day, here are the live updates:

• The state-owned transmission utility firm Powergrid has deferred screening test for engineers due to agitation.
• Delhi government is now moving SC, will file appeal there: Manish Sisodia on water crisis in Delhi due to ongoing Haryana agitation.
• Agitators set Vita Milk Plant in Haryana's Rohtak on fire. People living in vicinity have been asked to vacate the areas due to possibility of gas leakage.
• Jat leaders from Uttar Pradesh arrive to meet Home Minister Rajnath Singh at his residence.

• I will sit on hunger strike tomorrow at Jantar Mantar: BS Hooda
• Situation comparatively improved. 129 cases have so far been registered against those agitating: YP Singhal, Haryana DGP
• I wanted to go to Rohtak (Haryana)but administration did not grant permission for the same: BS Hooda
• Five persons were killed "when armed forces opened fire to quell arson and firing" by the protesters, an official release said today.​
• Meeting underway at HM Rajnath Singh's residence in Delhi. Army Chief, NSA Ajit Doval, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar are also present.
• Shoot at sight orders issued by Deputy commissioner in areas of Hissar and Hansi areas of Haryana.
• Congress slams BJP over MP Raj Kumar Saini's remarks on Jat reservation.

• भाजपा के सांसदों ने अनर्गल व विवादित बयानबाजी कर मौजूदा हालात पैदा किये, और अब भाजपा सरकार हल निकालने में नाकाम साबित हुई #BJPFailedHaryana

  

  — INC India (@INCIndia) February 20, 2016

• 33 army columns deployed in 9 districts of Haryana with maximum deployment in Rohtak. Additional columns are on standby.
• Sinha said that safety of people, protection to property and maintainence of law and order and harmony should be given top priority.
• Cabinet Secretary PK Sinha reviews law and order situation in Haryana via video conferencing with Chief Secretary Haryana and DG Police.
• BJP issued showcause notice to party MP Raj Kumar Saini for making comments `opposing` Jat reservation.

• More than 600 trains cancelled due to the agitation: Anil Saxena, Railways
• Army flag march in Sonipat. 
• Protesters set ablaze Gohana bus stand in Sonipat and torch state transport buses. 
• The Manohar Lal Khattar-led government in Haryana has "accepted" the demands of the community which is seeking quota under OBC category.  The CM also appealed the protesters to end the agitation. 
  

  Appeal to the people of Haryana to maintain law & order in the Statehttps://t.co/NLHPr7n50F

  — Manohar Lal Khattar (@mlkhattar) February 20, 2016

• Uttar Pradesh Cabinet Minister Shivpal Singh Yadav urges members of the Jat community to maintain peace and says they can file a review petition in the Supreme Court against the apex court's ruling on the reservation issue.
• Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar holds a key meeting with his ministers and top officials to take stock of the situation. Earlier in the day, Khattar had made a fresh appeal to the people to maintain peace and harmony.​
  

  I appeal to all my fellow Haryanvis to maintain law & order in the State, and ensure that harmony is maintained in the society.

  — Manohar Lal Khattar (@mlkhattar) February 19, 2016

• Haryana Police Chief Yashpal Singhal says it was taking time to bring the situation under control as the stir was not being spearheaded by any one particular leader. "The stir has now become leaderless and many youths have also jumped in, which is making our task difficult".
• Violence spreads to more areas in Haryana. Curfew has now been imposed in five towns in Haryana, including Sonipat city.
• All inter-state trains and buses plying between Jammu and Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine basecamp town of Katra were suspended today in view of the Jats` stir in Haryana, leaving hundreds of passengers stranded.
• Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal says he is worried about impact of Jat agitation on Delhi.
  

  Am worried about impact of Jat agitation on Delhi esp Delhi's water supply. Sought time from Rajnath ji.

  — Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) February 20, 2016

  Spoke to Haryana CM. He has assured that he will immediately send army to ensure safety of munak canal

  — Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) February 20, 2016

  Spoke to Rajnath ji also and apprised him of grave situation. He has assured that army is being sent to munak canal

  — Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) February 20, 2016

• Punjab and Haryana Governor Kaptan Singh Solanki cancels his function in Gurgaon, where he was to address a group of women, in the wake of the situation prevailing in the state.
• A mob pelts stones at the house of senior Haryana Minister OP Dhankar. Notably, Dhankar is among the prominent Jat politicians in the state.
  
• Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi urges protestors in Haryana to maintain peace.
  

मैं हरियाणा के लोगों से अपील करता हूँ की शांति व भाईचारे का माहौल बनाये रखें।आपसी मेल-जोल और बात-चीत से ही हर समस्या का हल निकल सकता है

— Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) February 20, 2016

• Tension prevails in Meham after a mob of about 2,000-2,500 people went on the rampage setting on fire a police station, a petrol pump, a government building and a banquet hall.
• BJP president Amit Shah asks Jat leaders of the party to talk to protesters and sort out the issue soon, news agency ANI quotes sources as saying. 
• Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar and Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju hold a meeting at Home Minister Rajnath Singh`s residence.
• Students from Jat community protest outside North Campus, Delhi University.
• Haryana Home Secretary and Director General of Police YP Singhal to address media at 12 pm in Chandigarh.
• Protesters blocks roads in Gurgaon.
• Normal life remains disrupted as protesting Jats continued to block roads and rail routes, affecting the supplies of essential commodities to Rohtak, Jind, Bhiwani and other parts of the state.
• Army conducts flag march in Bhiwani after Jat reservation agitation turns violent. The administration has asked people to stay at homes, official sources said. Curfew has been imposed.
• Neeraj Sharma, Chief PRO, Northern Railway says there have been fire incidents at Jhajjar station and at a halt near Sonipat. Tracks have been damaged at some places. Around 150 trains have been cancelled and some trains have been short-terminated.
• Former Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda urges everyone to protest peacefully. “There shouldn't be any loss of life and property,” appeals Hooda. “The government should find solution through talks as the situation is not good for state," adds Hooda.
• In the wake of protests, the Haryana government has ordered schools, colleges to remain shut till February 22.
  Read the full report here: Jat quota row: Haryana govt orders schools, colleges to remain closed till Feb 22
• Jat agitators set on fire the office of Budha Khera station master in Jind.
• Army reaches Rohtak Police lines via helicopters as protestors block roads.
• Authorities clamped curfew and issued "shoot-at-sight" orders in the worst-affected Rohtak and Bhiwani districts last evening.
• Top Union Ministers -- Rajnath Singh, Manohar Parrikar, Arun Jaitley and Sushma Swaraj -- on Friday night reviewed the prevailing law and order situation in Haryana.
• The Army was deployed in agitation-hit districts of Haryana on Friday evening as large-scale violence by Jat community protestors left three people dead in firing by security forces.
• The authorities have also blocked Internet and SMS services in the affected districts.
• The unruly mob indulged in arson yesterday. A mall in Rohtak town was looted, reports said. A gun house was also looted, police officials said. A toll plaza was set on fire near Rohtak while another one was damaged near Sampla.
• The mob attacked the office of the DIG, and set the house of Finance Minister Abhimanyu on fire.
• Haryana Director General of Police YP Singhal told media in Chandigarh that the Army has been sought for Rohtak, Jhajjar, Sonipat, Panipat, Jind, Kaithal, Bhiwani and Hisar districts.
• The Haryana government on Friday called in the Army to contain the situation in eight districts severely affected by the ongoing Jat agitation.