Hooda asks Centre to compensate violence-hit people

New Delhi, Feb 22: Former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda on Monday, Feb 22 appealed to the people to maintain peace and harmony and asked Centre to offer "adequate" compensation to people affected by violence during the Jat reservation stir.

"I want to appeal to the people to maintain peace and harmony immediately. I would also like to urge the Central Government to provide adequate compensation to people, who have lost their kin and property due to the violence," he told reporters before leaving for Haryana.

Hooda also asked the Centre to restore peace and harmony in Haryana and said he will continue with the hunger strike in Rohtak which he had started at Jantar Mantar here yesterday.

Asked why Haryana, continues to witness protests despite Centre's assurance to look into the issue, Hooda said, "It was for the government to figure out and come up with a solution."

"I would like to go to Haryana as the state is being destroyed.They (state government) had restricted me. But how long I will remain away from my people? Hence, I have decided to return to the state, where I will continue with the fast," the 68-year-old Congress leader said.

Yesterday, Hooda's MP-son Deepender had called on Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh asking him to provide security cover to common people of the state, which is witnessing large-scale arson by Jats demanding quota bringing the state to an edge.

The Jat agitation for reservation under OBC quota has so far claimed 10 lives.

PTI