The Akhil Bharatiya Jat Arakshan Sangarsh Samiti has decided to resume its agitation seeking reservation for the community in State and Centre government jobs, among other demands, in mid-August. They will be opposing official programmes of the Haryana Chief Minister and his Ministers.
Addressing a ‘Jat Mahasammelan’ at Rohtak on Saturday, the organisation’s national president Yashpal Malik announced the decision to oppose all official programmes of Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and his Ministers from August 16.
Mr. Malik said that the organisation would also hold meetings at village, block and district levels to reach out to Dalits, farmers and various organisations holding protests against the government to strengthen their movement.
The outfit said that meetings will also be held in Jat-dominated States, including Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Punjab in view of upcoming Assembly and general elections to put pressure on the BJP government to agree to their demands.
Mr. Malik, in his address, accused the State BJP of misleading courts on the outfit’s demand for reservation and withdrawal of cases registered during the Jat agitation in 2016.
He added that there was resentment among the community against Prime Minister Narendra Modi for failing to keep his promise to give reservation to the Jats.
He added that the community was ready for a nationwide movement.
‘Hatching conspiracy’
The Jat leader accused the State BJP government of hatching a conspiracy and instigating violence through its Ministers and leaders during the Jat reservation agitation to create Jat and non-Jat divide.
He said that 30 people, including 18 Jats, were killed during the agitation and the government arrested 300 people and registered false cases against 25,000 to defame the community.
Mr. Malik pointed out that despite an agreement reached with Mr. Khattar and representatives of the central government in a meeting in Delhi last year, the community had neither got the reservation nor were cases against its members withdrawn.
Those arrested in connection with arson at the residence of Haryana’s Finance Minister Capt. Abhimanyu are also languishing in jail, he added.
In an eight-point resolution adopted at the meeting, the organisation said a discussion would be held with communities such as the Patels and the Marathas, who are also seeking reservation under the OBC, to chalk out strategy for any future movements. The outfit said it would also reach out to all political parties seeking to raise their voice against the BJP for dividing people on lines of caste and religion.
