At a time when Jat reservation imbroglio has put the Haryana Government in a tight spot, the OBC brigade under BJP Kurukshetra MP Raj Kumar Saini has also begun its agitation across the State against giving reservation to the Jat community.
The confrontation building up between the Jat community and OBC brigade over the reservation issue is likely to have serious law and order implications in Haryana and spell trouble for the BJP-led State Government, which has so far failed to appease the Jat agitators.
As the Jat protesters continued their agitation for the fifth day in various parts of Haryana demanding reservation in Government jobs and education institutions under OBC categoty, the OBC brigade launched its agitation from Kurukshetra district and also held protests at various places in the State.
Reports of scuffle between OBC brigade/non Jats organisations and Jat protesters were also received from Charkhi Dadri and Rohtak on Thursday. The effigies of Cabinet Minister Capt. Abhimanyu and OP Dhankar, who are prominent Jat leaders were also burnt during the protest held by OBC brigade at Kurukshetra and various parts of the state. The Manohar lal Khattar Government is already facing a tough time appeasing the Jat agitators who are seeking apology from MP Raj Kumar Saini for his anti-Jat remarks and now, the agitation of OBC brigade under Saini has set the alarm bells ringing in the government circles.
The OBC brigade with around 1.30 lakh members in Haryana was formed by MP Raj Kumar Saini to protest against Jats who are demanding their quota share in OBC category for government jobs and admission to educational institutions.
The Kurukshetra MP, who is dead set against Jat community and have sparked controversy with his anti-Jat remarks time and again has also convened a meeting of OBC brigade on February 22 in Kurukshetra to chalk out strategy to deal with the ongoing Jat agitation across Haryana.
“The OBC brigade has started its agitation across the state from Thursday onwards. Memorandums will be submitted in each district demanding sedition charges against Jat protestors and to forcibly end their protest, which has resulted in public inconvenience. We will continue the protest against Jat reservation under the OBC category, said the OBC brigade, Haryana chief Rampal Rathi while talking to The Pioneer over phone from Kurukshetra. OBC brigade national chief MP Raj Kumar Saini will meet the members on February 22 and a strategy would be chalked out to counter Jat agitation, he said.
On the other hand, All India Jat Aarakshan Sangharsh Samiti (AIJASS) chief Yashpal Malik threatened the BJP led State Government of serious implications if Police force is used against the Jat protestors.
“The Jat agitation would continue and will cover the entire state in next 24 hours. Even as Section 144 has been enforced at few places in the state, the Jat community is not afraid of Government and would continue its protest,” said Malik while talking to The Pioneer over phone.
He added, “Jats are protesting peacefully and the Government should not try to forcibly end the agitation otherwise it may result in violence across the state, which had happened during previous Congress tenure in Haryana.”
On the issue of ‘OBC brigade’ launching agitation against Jats, Malik alleged, “The BJP Government has betrayed the Jats and has encouraged leaders like Raj Kumar Saini to do such activities. The Jats will not end their agitation till a bill is passed in the state assembly on Jat reservation.”
After the talks with Jat community failed on Wednesday, the State Government remains in a fix on quota for the dominant Jat community, which had been rejected by both the Punjab and Haryana HC and the Supreme Court. In Haryana, Jats come across as dominant community with over 26 per cent of State’s electorate.