Haryana: Jat leader Yashpal Malik ‘attacked’ at rally, blames rival
Nearly a dozen people suffered injuries in the incident. Nearly a dozen people suffered injuries in the incident.
ALL INDIA Jat Aarakshan Sangharsh Samiti (AIJASS) leader Yashpal Malik was allegedly attacked in a village near Tohana, Fatehabad district, Monday when he was there to address a public meeting. Malik said he escaped unhurt.
However, nearly a dozen others suffered injuries in the melee that followed after a stone was allegedly hurled at Malik and a group who tried to ‘attack’ him on stage with wooden sticks. Vehicles of Malik’s supporters at the venue were also damaged. The injured were admitted to the neighbouring Agroha Medical College in Hisar.
The incident occurred at around noon today in Samain village. The village falls in Tohana constituency that is represented by state BJP president Subhash Barala in the Haryana assembly.
Last year, Malik was booked on charges of sedition, apart from other offences punishable under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) in May after the Jat agitation rocked Haryana in February same year.
On Monday, Yashpal Malik had gone to Samain village to invite villagers to an AIJASS rally scheduled at Jhajjar on August 27 on the issue of reservation to Jats and the release of those who were arrested in connection with the violence during the Jat quota stir in February 2016.
Haryana DGP BS Sandhu told The Indian Express, “Policemen were not deployed exactly at the spot but were stationed at some distance from the venue. It was an open-for-all public meeting. Because of our prompt intervention, major tension was averted.”
Later in the day, the police booked Sube Singh Samain, a Khap leader, and around 100 others on charge of attempt to murder, criminal intimidation, rioting punishable under Indian Penal Code and other offences punishable under Arms Act.
Malik alleged that Samain and “a senior BJP leader of Haryana” had orchestrated the attack on him.
Talking to The Indian Express on phone, Malik said, “Police did not help us but shielded the accused. The attack was made at the behest of Sube Singh Samain. I also suspect the role of a BJP leader, although at this stage I cannot name him. We have set a deadline of 72 hours for the police to identify and arrest the culprits. Otherwise, we will decide further course of action on August 18.”
After the alleged incident, Malik’s supporters blocked state highway (Hisar-Tohana/Fatehabad) stretch for nearly two hours. Finally, on the assurance given by senior police officers of promptly taking action in the matter, the highway blockade was lifted.
Tohana DSP Shamsher Singh Dahiya, who was present at the spot, said, “Around 30-40 persons had entered the venue very early. The incident took place soon after Malik was welcomed by his supporters and he went on stage. Around 250 persons came from the other side of the stage and tried to enter the meeting venue in an attempt to interrupt the event. When the police stopped them, 30-40 persons who were sitting near the stage attacked Malik.”
“Had we not intervened in time, it would have resulted in a major tragedy. We have registered a criminal case. Further investigations are on. So far, no arrests have been made”, Dahiya added.
“On Sube Singh’s provocation, the armed men attacked. They were carrying locally-made pistols, apart from sticks. They encircled the public meeting venue before attacking us. It was a bigger conspiracy in which many could have died but the villagers saved me and others. It’s a new way to silence our voice and divert the direction of our agitation,” Malik alleged.
Sube Singh Samain, however, refuted all the allegations. He said, “All I know is that a few villagers had gone towards the venue to show black flags to Malik because of their resentment towards Malik’s style of functioning. But the allegations that I provoked the villagers to attack Malik are completely baseless. I did not even go to the venue. I don’t care what Malik is alleging.”
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