In an attempt to mount pressure on the BJP led Central and Haryana Governments to give reservation to the Jats and fulfill their other pending demands, the Jat community has geared up for their maha rally at Jassia village in Rohtak on November 26.
Trouble seems to be mounting for the ruling BJP as Jat leader Yashpal Malik, chief of Akhil Bharatiya Jat Arakshan Sangharsh Samiti (ABJASS) is likely to announce a fresh agitation against the BJP Government, to press for various pending demands.
Yashpal Malik, who had spearheaded the agitation in support of Jat reservation in February 2016 and even this year in Haryana, would address the rally, where Jat politicians cutting across party lines have also been invited.
Union Steel Minister Birender Singh, former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, leader of opposition Abhay Singh Chautala, Cabinet Minister OP Dhankar and other prominent Jat politicians have been invited for the rally. However, most of the Jat leaders have refused to attend it.
Apart from politicians, the ABJASS has also invited prominent Jat actors, sportspersons, and businessmen to attend the rally. The Jat outfit has however boycotted Haryana Finance Minister Capt. Abhimanyu and BJP state chief Subhash Barala and both have not been invited for the Jat maha rally at Rohtak, which was the epicenter during the violent Jat quota agitation last year.
Besides reservation in government jobs and educational institutions at central and state level, the Jats have been demanding the release of youths arrested during quota stir in Haryana and withdrawal of cases registered against them.
On the occasion, the Jat leaders would also lay the foundation stone of a competitive coaching and skill centre which is named after peasant leader Sir Chhotu Ram.
“The BJP Government has not fulfilled our main demand of reservation at central and state level. At the upcoming rally in Rohtak, we will announce a fresh agitation at central level to press for our demand of reservation for Jats,” said ABJASS national general secretary and Haryana incharge, Ashok Balhara while talking to The Pioneer.
Accusing the BJP of backtracking from its promises, the Jat leader said that reservation has not been given to the Jat community and cases against the Jat youth are also not withdrawn by the State Government.
Giving details about the rally, Balhara said that we have invited all Jat MPs, former MPs, MlAs, ex-MlAs, sportspersons, actors, directors and businessmen. Besides, the Jat leaders would lay the foundation stone of a competitive coaching and skill centre named after peasant leader Sir Chhotu Ram. Also, a museum on Sir Chhotu Ram will be constructed in Jassia village, he added.
He claimed that around 10 lakh people from Haryana and neighboring states are expected to attend the Rohtak rally.
Meanwhile, other Jat outfits and Khaps have demanded cancelation of the event.
Sube Singh Samain, spokesperson of the Sarv Khap Panchayat has alleged that Yashpal Malik is only politicizing the Jat reservation issue and permission to conduct such events should be cancelled.
No prominent political leader barring a Central leader close to Yashpal Malik will attend the Jassia rally, he added.
Notably, the Jat agitation in last February in Haryana had hogged the national headlines after it had crippled road and rail traffic in much of northern India and also caused a water crisis in Delhi. The violent quota agitation had also left 31 people dead and more than 200 injured in Haryana.
After this, the Khattar Government buckled under pressure by giving 10 percent reservation to Jats and five other communities. However, the move was put on hold by the Punjab and Haryana High Court since last May.
The Jat community had then again held protests in various parts of Haryana earlier this year but called it off following several rounds of parleys in New Delhi between the senior BJP leaders and Jat leaders.
Both sides had reached a consensus on issues, including initiation of the process of reservation for the Jats in Central Government jobs, general amnesty for those booked during the February 2016 Jat quota violence, reconsideration of criminal cases lodged against Jat agitators since 2010 and permanent jobs to next-of-kin of those killed and those maimed during the 2016 Jat agitation in Haryana.
Besides, the Government had assured to give monetary compensation to the injured and institute probe against officers accused of high-handedness during the Jat stir 2016.