Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar
Jat outfits, who had threatened to launch a protest on February 15 to coincide with a motorbike rally by the ruling BJP during party chief Amit Shah’s visit to Jind, called off their stir on Sunday.
The decision was taken by All India Jat Aarakshan Sangharsh Samiti president Yashpal Malik, who led the Jat organisations’ delegation and met Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, Union Minister Birender Singh and various other representatives of state government in New Delhi on Sunday.
The state government and Jat organisations reached a consensus after a six-hour meeting at Haryana Bhavan on Sunday evening. The state government, in a statement issued late night, conveyed that it was committed to take up the cause of Jat community and shall be submitting all the details pertaining to the status of Jat community’s representation in government jobs and educational institutions to the Haryana Backward Classes Commission before March 31 so that a final decision can be taken soon.
State government also assured Jat organisations that the government will withdraw all such criminal cases that are in its purview, except those being investigated by CBI that were registered during the February 2016 Jat reservation violence in the state. Khattar conveyed this to the delegation led by Yashpal Malik.
At a joint press conference addressed by Khattar, Malik and Union Minister Singh after the meeting, it was conveyed that Rajya Sabha MP Bhupendra Yadav, who too met the Jat organisations’ delegation on Sunday, has assured them to take up the Jat reservation issue with the Union government.
In order to avert any untoward situation in Jind on February 15, Khattar had invited Jat organisations led by All India Jat Aarakshan Sangharsh Samiti for talks at Haryana Bhavan.
Yashpal Malik said, “As of now, we have called off our February 15 protest rally. Government has assured us that they will withdraw all the cases registered in connection with Jat reservation agitation in Haryana, irrespective of the caste of the accused. Government has also assured that they will be passing a Bill in Parliament regarding granting reservation to Jat community in government jobs and educational institutes. Government has also assured us that they will be submitting the data regarding Jat community’s representation in government jobs and educational institutes within the stipulated time period. We shall be observing martyrdom day on February 18 in memory of those who lost their lives struggling to seek reservation…”
Haryana government recently withdrew 70 such cases, but Malik had been demanding withdrawal of all cases, including 90 cases of heinous crimes such as murder and attempt to murder.