Haryana Jat group to hold protests again

Chandigarh :
Jats are on a warpath yet again in Haryana with the state government “failing to fulfil” their demands, including dropping of police cases against members of the community, by the August 16 deadline set by the All-India Jat Arakshan Sangharsh Samiti (AIJASS).
The AIJASS led by Yashpal Malik has now decided to protest at public functions of Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and Finance Minister Capt Abhimanyu in nine districts having a concentration of the community and gradually extend it to six other districts.
The AIJASS wants reservation, withdrawal of cases registered against members of its community during the 2016 agitation, and jobs to seven “martyrs” who died sitting at the dharnas during the course of the agitation.
“The BJP at the Centre and state has betrayed us. Despite sufficient warnings and time to meet our demands already accepted in previous rounds of talks, they have let the August 16 deadline lapse. If they understand the language of protests, we are ready,” Malik told.
The All-India Jat Arakshan Sangharsh Samiti has decided to initially “target” functions of the two top state BJP leaders in the Jat belt of Rohtak, Panipat, Sonepat, Hisar, Kaithal, Jind, Dadri, Jhajjar and Bhiwani.
“These protests will be held only if these two leaders address programmes in the hinterland and will be managed by our local teams. We will keep out of the cities for the time being,” said Malik. The rural belt has essentially been chosen by the AIJASS to show its strength and display its following.
Sources said the CM’s next public programme, a roadshow, to be held in Kaithal on August 25-26 had been put off in view of the protest call. He is now slated to attend a programme on August 25 in Dabwali.
CM’s media adviser Rajiv Jain said the Kaithal roadshow was cancelled on account of the “asthi kalash yatra” of late Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Had it been because of Jat protest, the Dabwali rally should also have been called off. Dabwali, incidentally, is among the six districts of Karnal, Kurukshetra, Palwal, Sirsa, Fathehabad and Rewari where the protests will be extended by the end of next month only.
Police in districts with Jat concentration have been put on alert and their preparedness to deal with protests is being reviewed.
Will Jat reservation be successful this time?
- 1141
- Leave a comment