“People cannot be allowed to destroy public properties in the name of agitation and they must be made to pay for the loss of nation’s assets,” the Supreme Court said on Wednesday.
“We cannot allow people to burn nation’s properties and take the country to ransom in the name of agitation,” the SC said while hearing a petition 
on the Jat agitation for reservation in government jobs in Haryana.
“We must take a call on the issue and we would frame guidelines for taking action people for damaging properties in agitation,” the SC bench said.
The SC bench said: “Whether it is political party like BJP, Congress or any people, they must realize that public properties can’t be destroyed in agitation.”
A Delhi-based advocate had moved the SC alleging “total collapse” of administration in Haryana on account of the Jat quota stir.
Jat agitation had caused huge disruption, with at least 850 trains cancelled, 500 factories closed and business losses estimated at as much as $5 billion. Protesters had damaged Munak canal that supplies three-fifths of the water to Delhi.
Maruti Suzuki India, the country’s largest car maker, had to shut production at its two manufacturing facilities in Haryana for two days of suspension due to the Jat reservation agitation in the state.
In the 10-day stir which saw arson and violence in several parts of the Haryana, at least 26 petroleum outlets were vandalized by mobs in the state.
The agitating protesters had caused large scale damages to railway property and installations as 12 railway stations were burnt, 3 engines damaged and two track machines wrecked besides uprooting of tracks at many places.
