Jat outfit led by Hawa Singh begins protest

A faction of the All-India Jat Aarakshan Sangharsh Samiti (AIJASS) led by Hawa Singh Sangwan on Monday began an indefinite dharna in Hisar demanding withdrawal of criminal cases registered against youths during violent Jat quota agitation in 2016 in Haryana.

Sangwan, along with his supporters, sat on a dharna near Bhagana village in Hisar. Earlier, the Jat outfit had announced to begin the dharna at Mayyar village but was denied permission by local authorities.

“The State Government should withdraw all cases registered against Jat youths during Jat reservation agitation in 2016. Even after promises, the government has not withdrawn any cases,” alleged  Sangwan while talking to The Pioneer over the phone.

He said that the government should provide us a list of cases registered against youth and we will verify whether such cases have been withdrawn or not. All youth in prisons under these cases should be released, he added.

The Jat leader said that the government should fulfill its promises of withdrawing the cases against youth and give reservation to the community. The Jats have started dharna near Bhagana village after we were not allowed to start agitation at Mayyar. We  will not withdraw this dharna till our demands are met, he added.

Accusing Jat leader Yashpal Malik of colluding with the BJP led State Government and betraying the Jat community, Sangwan said that we do not trust Malik’s words and will continue our fight for Jat community. 

Sanghwan had separated from Jat leader Yashpal Malik, chief of parallel faction of the AIJASS.

Malik had threatened to disrupt the February 15 Jind rally of BJP chief Amit Shah but later called-off the stir after meeting Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and senior BJP leaders in Delhi. 

He had however threatened to start an indefinite agitation if there was delay in fulfilling the demands, including reservation.

The Jat agitation in February 2016 had left 31 people dead and more than 200 injured in Haryana.

Following this, the Jats demanded the release of youths arrested during quota stir and withdrawal of cases registered against them besides reservation.

The State Government had recently said that nearly 223 cases related to 2016 quota violence have been withdrawn, in which a total of 2,027 persons were accused.