With ongoing Jat quota agitation entering tenth day in the State, the Haryana Government on Tuesday constituted a five-member committee headed by Chief Secretary DS Dhesi to hold talks with the Jat protestors.
The decision to constitute a committee was taken following a meeting of Chief Minister Manohar lal with Cabinet Ministers and senior bureaucrats. The committee headed by Chief Secretary will consider demands of those agitating to resolve their problems.
The Chief Minister also reviewed the law and order situation and state’s preparedness to tackle any eventuality during the ongoing Jat protest in Haryana.
After a slow start, the Jat stir is picking pace in Haryana, with numbers of protesters swelling by the day at various dharna spots.
Following the constitution of the five members committee, the Government has invited suggestions from those protesting for reservation and other demands. Any organization, section of the society or an individual could submit their viewpoint and suggestions to the committee in writing or orally.
The committee has been set up to resolve their issues under the ambit of the Constitution and different decisions and directions given by the Punjab and Haryana High Court in this regard.
Other members of the Committee are Additional Chief Secretary, Home, Ram Niwas, Principal Secretary, Industries, Devender Singh, Secretary, General Administration, Vijayendra Kumar and Additional Director General of Police, law and Order, Mohammad Akil.
The Jats are holding protest dharnas in 19 districts of the state demanding release of youths arrested during the Jat agitation last year, jobs to kin of Jats killed in the agitation besides demanding reservation in government jobs and educational institutions. The call for the fresh Jat stir has been given by some Jat outfits, especially those owing allegiance to All-India Jat Aarakshan Sangharsh Samiti chief Yashpal Malik.
Meanwhile, Jat and Khap leaders have refused to meet the committee members and have criticized the State Government for constituting a committee to delay the entire issue.
Haryana leader of opposition and INlD’s senior leader, Abhay Chautala, who visited Jat dharnas at Hisar and Kaithal on Tuesday to extend his support to the ongoing Jat agitation accused the BJP led Haryana Government of betraying the Jat community.
Criticizing the State Government for constituting a five-member committee, Chautala said that the State Government is trying to mislead Jats and thus, have set up a committee of bureaucrats again, just to delay the entire issue. Instead of constituting a committee, the Chief Minister should himself come forward to fulfil the promises made by his government to the Jats.
Chautala also accused the State Government of threatening the Jat protestors who are holding peaceful dharnas at various parts of the state.
The Jat agitation, which began on January 29 have picked pace after AIJASS chief Yashpal Malik visited the dharna spots and the Congress and the INlD came out in support of the protesters.
Though Section 144 of the CrPC, which prohibits assembly of more than four people, is clamped along the national highway and public spots in various sensitive areas of Haryana, it is hardly a deterrent during the ongoing agitation.
Besides, 37 companies of central paramilitary forces have been allotted to Haryana by the Centre to keep vigil in various districts during the Jat stir.
While the Chief Minister had met various Jat and Khap leaders on January 29 and gave assurance to fulfil their genuine demands, the Jat outfit headed by Yashpal Malik is yet to hold talks with the State Government.
Malik on Tuesday alleged that the State Government is trying to vitiate the environment of the state while Jats are protesting peacefully in Haryana. The protesters will observe February 19 as Balidan Divas’ in the memory of those who lost their lives in the last year’s stir, said he.
A day before, other Jat outfits headed by Hawa Singh Sangwan and Sube Singh Sumain, who are not supporting the ongoing agitation, had warned the State Government of resuming their agitation if their demands are not met by February 26.
In a recent meeting with the Chief Minister, they had put forth two demands including withdrawal of cases and “aam maafi” to those youth arrested from February 18-23 last year during Jat quota stir and job to next of kin of those killed during the agitation.
During Jat agitation last February, districts namely Rohtak,Jhajjar, Sonepat, Jind, Hisar, Kaithal and Bhiwani had witnessed large scale violence. The violent quota agitation had left 30 people dead and more than 200 injured in Haryana.
Haryana High Court had in May 2016 stayed the Khattar government’s decision to grant reservation to Jats and five other communities in jobs and educational institutions under the newly created backward class ‘C’ category.