The meeting between representatives of the Jat community and the Haryana Government on Wednesday ended in a deadlock with the community leaders accusing the Government of not fulfilling their demands and reiterated their demand of bringing in a Bill in the State Assembly to give reservation to the Jats.
Despite the talks with the Chief Minister Manohar lal Khattar, the Jat protestors seeking reservation in Government jobs and educational institutions escalated their agitation across the State as the protest entered the fourth day on Wednesday.
More than 100 people from various Jats factions, Khaps and Akhil Bhartiya Jat Arakshan Sangharsh Samiti State head Hawa Singh Sangwan were present in the meeting with CM here. However, All India Jat Aarakshan Sangharsh Samiti (AIJASS) chief Yashpal Malik and many other Jat factions stayed away from the meeting.
The lack of unity between various Jat factions in Haryana is also likely to weaken the State Government’s efforts to convince the Jat leaders and appease the protestors across the State.
After reaching out to the Jat community, the Manohar lal Khattar led BJP Government on Wednesday persisted with efforts to mollify them when the Chief Minister offered to enhance quota of economically backward classes from 10 percent to 20 percent in government jobs and educational institutions and extend the benefits to Jat community.
Even as agitated Jats reiterated their demand that a bill should be passed in the state assembly to give reservation to the Jats under OBC category, the Chief Minister tried to appease the community with his assurances and apprised them about the State Government’s high-level committee formed to explore various aspects to give reservation to them.
Extending an olive branch to the agitating Jats, the Chief Minister along with Finance Minister Capt. Abhimanyu and Agriculture Minister OP Dhankar, prominent Jat leaders, also announced to enhance the annual income ceiling from Rs 2.5 lakh to Rs 6 lakh so that maximum people can get benefit under this EWS.
The talks between the State Government and Jat community, however, failed as representatives of Jat community announced to continue their protest till a bill is passed in the state assembly to give reservation to them under OBC category.
After meeting the Chief Minister, Jat leader Hawa Singh Sangwan while talking to The Pioneer said, “I am not satisfied with the proposals put forth by the Government of extending the EWS quota from 10 to 20 percent, however, I will wait for Government’s next step.”
“The Government has assured to provide quota to Jats when it is provided in other states but we reiterate the demand that State Government should bring a bill in the state assembly to ensure reservation for Jats or take other concrete steps. Though I had announced to postpone the agitation, other groups would continue their protest and it is for the State Government to persuade them to end their protest,” added Sangwan.
On the other hand, All India Jat Aarakshan Sangharsh Samiti (AIJASS) chief Yashpal Malik said that the agitation will escalate and spread to other parts of the state.
Talking to The Pioneer over phone, Malik said that the protests will continue till a bill to give reservation to Jats under OBC category is passed by the state assembly. He also accused the State Government of befooling the Jats and demanded that a bill should be brought just like Maharashtra and Rajasthan Government did for providing reservation in their respective states.
Both the Jat leaders also blamed the BJP high command in Centre as well as Haryana for encouraging senior leaders for issuing anti-Jat remarks. The Jat leaders sought an apology from Kurukshetra MP Raj Kumar Saini for his anti-Jat stand.
In the agrarian milieu of Haryana, Jats come across as dominant community with over 26 percent of state’s electorate.
The Supreme Court had in March 2015 quashed the decision of the Congress-led UPA Government at the Centre to provide reservation to Jats under OBC category. Another expected setback to the Jats came in the form of order of the Punjab and Haryana High court in July 2015 which stayed the decision of the previous Hooda government to grant 10% reservation to Jats, Jat-Sikhs, Bishnois, Rors and Tyagis under the special backward classes (SBC) category.
Notably, Haryana Government had last year in the state assembly said that it is in the process of filing a Special leave Petition in the Supreme Court against the stay order of Punjab and Haryana High Court dated July 27, 2015.