The ongoing Jat agitation in Haryana entered its 19th day on Thursday with a solution nowhere in sight as the protesters remained adamant on their demands while the State Government is also not budging on its stand.
After a slow start, the Jat agitation have picked pace in Haryana, with numbers of protesters swelling by the day at various dharna spots in 20 districts of the State.
The Jat leaders have announced not to hold parleys with the Manohar lal Khattar Government in the state if it imposes conditions for the same.
The State Government, on the other hand, has failed to do much so far, apart from appointing a five-member committee of senior bureaucrats, whose last week’s meeting with Jat leaders remained inconclusive.
Failed to break the deadlock over holding further talks between agitating Jat leaders and Haryana Government, the Chief Minister on Thursday convened a meeting with Jat ministers and BJP party workers at Gurugram to chalk out government’s strategy to deal with the ongoing agitation.
Also, high drama was witnessed at Gurugram after reports that Haryana CM has invited Jat leaders for talks at Gurugram to resolve the issue.
Yashpal Malik, chief of Akhil Bhartiya Jat Aarakshan Sangharsh Samiti (ABJASS), which is spearheading the Jat agitation across the state and Akhil Bhartiya Jat Arakshan Sangharsh Samiti state head Hawa Singh Sangwan denied receiving any invitation for the meeting, some Jat leaders who reached the meeting venue at Gurugram were shown the door by the BJP workers.
The BJP workers and Jat leaders also engaged in a heated argument at the meeting venue, following which the State Government clarified that the Haryana CM has convened a meeting of senior Ministers and party workers only.
The Jat leaders including RS Dahiya claimed of receiving a call from deputy commissioner and police officials from Gurugram for a meeting while the government denied of extending any such invitation to them for a meeting with the Chief Minister.
Embarrassed at the development, Amit Arya, media advisor to Haryana Chief Minister, accepted that there was a miscommunication regarding the meeting. Haryana CM has convened a meeting of party workers and Jat leaders were not invited, he clarified while talking to the mediapersons.
later, the Chief Minister held a meeting with Jat community leaders of the BJP including Union Minister Birender Singh, Cabinet Ministers Capt. Abhimanyu, OP Dhankar, MP Dharambir Singh, state BJP chief Subhash Barala among others to chalk out a “workable solution” before holding second meeting with the Jat agitators.
Manohar lal also held another meeting with senior BJP party workers of ten sensitive districts to review the situation in the state during the ongoing Jat stir. These districts included Jhajjar, Rohtak, Bhiwani, Charkhi-Dadri, Hisar, Jind, Sirsa, Kaithal, Sonipat and Panipat.
During the meeting, the Chief Minister along with senior Jat Ministers apprized the party workers about the measures so far taken by the State Government to grant reservation to the Jat community and asked them to stay in touch with Jat leaders in their areas to ensure that peaceful agitation continues in the state.
With a non-Jat leader as its head, the debutant BJP Government led by Manohar lal has so far failed to defuse the situation and instil confidence among the people that the situation will not get out of hand this time.
In a similar Jat quota protest last year, the government had failed to staunch the aggravated Jat agitation that had killed 31 people and resulted in damage to property worth crores of rupees.
This time, the Jat agitators are demanding quota in state and central government jobs, general amnesty for those booked during the February 2016 Jat quota violence, government jobs and compensation for the kin of those killed and injured while taking part last year’s stir.
While the Haryana Government is in a fix to accept all demands of the Jat agitators considering the legal complications, it has announced certain steps to mollify the Jat community including government jobs for the next of the kin of those killed in last year’s agitation, review of the minor cases against the agitators, financial help to those injured during the protest.
Notably, an intelligence report leak hinting at the ongoing Jat agitation turning violent after February 19, has thrown the State Government into a tizzy.
The State Government on Thursday again directed the divisional commissioners and deputy commissioners to send situation report relating to their divisions or districts to Chief Secretary’s office everyday by 3.30 pm.
In a communiqué to the divisional commissioners and deputy commissioners, the Chief Secretary’s office has asked them to send a daily report including prominent agitators with affiliating organizations at dharnas, any incident during reporting period and action taken and prevailing situation in their area.
Meanwhile, Yashpal Malik, chief of ABJASS on Thursday said that no talks would be held with government’s appointed committee if the government continues to put condition for the same.
On the statement of Chief Minister that cases under Section 302 and 307 of the IPC cannot be withdrawn, Malik said that the State Government should not put such conditions if it wants to continue talks with the Jat leaders.
“The State Government does not seem to be sincere in resolving the issues. The Chief Minister and his ministers are giving out statements which are not helping the situation,” he added.
We have been convened a meeting at Jassia village in Rohtak on Friday to decide the future course of action, said Malik.
Though the sit-ins have remained peaceful so far in various parts of the state, the Jat leaders have threatened to intensify the stir after February 19 if their demands are not fulfilled.
The ABJASS has announced to observe February 19 as ‘balidan divas’ in memory of the youth killed during Jat agitation in Haryana. The Jat leaders have also threatened to seal the borders of the National Capital Region in an attempt to mount pressure on the State Government to fulfil their demands.
The main opposition party in Haryana, INlD, has openly come out in support of the agitating Jats this time. leader of opposition and INlD’s senior leader Abhay Chautala have addressed Jat protestors at various dharna spots in the state asking them to continue with the protest till their demands are fulfilled.