Just a few days ago, on 26th February, when All India Jat Arakshan Sangharsh Samiti(AIJASS) decided to observe black day, Haryana BJP government was worrying about the situation and was totally against the reservation ‘quota’ system but today at 6:00 pm in the evening Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar declared that the demand of Jat community will be met in a time bound manner, after discussion with Jat leaders. CM M L Khattar also made an appeal to the community to maintain peace and harmony. On Sunday, Jat leaders called off their ‘Delhi Gherao’ agitation after the Haryana government agreed to meet their demands.
They were demanding for reservation in government jobs and colleges. According to the leader of All India Jat Aarakshan Sangharsh Samiti (AIJASS), Yashpal Malik, their plan was to come to New Delhi with tractors and gherao the Parliament on Sunday, but their agitation has been suspended and Jats will not come to Delhi to protest. Earlier they planned to intensify their agitation by taking their protest to New Delhi on 20th March. The AIJASS has been agitating in Haryana for its demands since January 29.
“The reservation process at Centre will begin after the appointment of the chairman of National Commission for Backward Classes,” said M L Khattar at a press conference with Jat leaders.
On March 16, Minister Ram Bilas Sharma talks with the Jats in Panipat in a ministerial, after which the minister had said that the agreement had been reached with the community and the deadlock, may end soon. Chairperson of AIJASS Mr. Malik said that their fifty-day protest had been peaceful and will be continued and they will decide their next course of action soon.
Last year a large-scale violence occurred in Haryana, where around 30 people were killed and more than 300 people were injured during a similar agitation by the Jat community.
Prohibitory orders had been clamped in New Delhi, Haryana, UP, and Rajasthan to stop the Jat protesters from entering Delhi. Following the ‘Delhi Gherao’ declaration by the Jat community, almost 24,500 paramilitary personnel had been mobilized to maintain peace. Metro transport has been curtailed and several schools have been closed in the national capital, Delhi.
Besides quota in govt school, college and jobs, they have been demanding the release of people jailed during the last year’s agitation, withdrawal of cases slapped during the protest. Talks between the Haryana govt and the Jat leaders hit a roadblock last month as the state government made it clear that it has no jurisdiction to withdraw the cases being investigated by the CBI against their violation during the last year’s agitation.
The protestors of Jat community said that they will continue their protest in different parts of Haryana for now. In Delhi, all metros, trains, and buses will ply as usual. Delhi police said, no roads will be closed tomorrow. The security will remain tight in New Delhi. Delhi Police will keep a close watch on borders between new and central Delhi.
