Jats Call Off Quota Agitation After Government Truce

Members of the Jat community on Sunday called off their quota agitation scheduled for Monday, in the national capital, following a truce that was reached after a meeting between their leaders and the Haryana government.

Jat leaders decided to call off their agitation after a marathon four-hour meeting with Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and two union ministers Birender Singh and PP Chaudhary, who are both Jats.

“Centre and state will soon begin the process of giving reservation, following the Delhi High court order," Khattar told reporters in a joint press conference along with All India Jat Aarakshan Sangharsh Samiti (AIJASS) Chairperson Yashpal Malik.

He also appealed to people in the state to cooperate in maintaining peace and harmony.

“Now Jats are not coming to Delhi. We have called off our agitation and march towards Delhi. The state government has agreed to our demands,” Malik told reporters after the meeting.

He added that the community will call off its protest from most of the places in the state, barring few where it will continue with symbolic protests.

Besides quotas, the Jats have been demanding release of people jailed during last year's agitation, withdrawal of cases slapped during the protests and government jobs for the kin of those killed and injured while taking part in the stir.

The Jats have been sitting in protest in various parts of Haryana since January 29.

PP Chaudhary, who is the minister of state for law and justice, said the government will now work according to the law.

He added, “The reservation process will expedite after appointment of National Commission of Backward Classes (NCBC) chairperson and we want to ensure reservation for the community which is not stuck anywhere due to legal issues”.

A Haryana ministerial panel led by senior minister Ram Bilas Sharma had held talks with the Jats in Panipat on March 16, after which the minister had said that an agreement had been reached with the community and the deadlock could end soon.

Around 30 people were killed and more than 300 people injured when a similar agitation by the Jats had resulted in large-scale violence in Haryana in February last year.

In view of the planned march tomorrow, prohibitory orders had been clamped in Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan to stop the Jat protesters from entering Delhi.

About 24,700 paramilitary personnel had been mobilised to maintain peace. Metro and road transport has been curtailed and several schools have been closed in the national capital.

Khattar said the two sides firmed up the latest decisions with a “consensus” arrived between them.

He added that as part of the decisions made, the Haryana government will “re-assess cases registered between 2010-17 on the protesters and Jats will get full justice”.

“The next of kin of the killed and handicapped during these protests will be provided permanent jobs. Also, all those who were injured during protests will be provided their compensation quickly.

“The role of the officers will also be probed and we will take strict action against the guilty after investigation. All this will be done quickly and in a time-bound manner so that Jats gets justice. This is our desire and we believe that this issue will get resolved,” he said.

He added that as soon as the Chairman and members of the National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC) are appointed, the process of reservation for Jats will be initiated at the Centre.

“With regard to Haryana, the bill for reservation is pending in the High Court and as soon as the decision comes, we will begin the process to include them in the 9th Schedule of the Constitution,” he added.