With the Jat agitation showing no signs of let up, the BJP government in Haryana on Saturday said it has “accepted” the demands of the community which is seeking quota under OBC category.
Appealing to protesters to end their stir, Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar in a statement in Chandigarh on Saturday afternoon asked agitators to “return to their homes as the Government has accepted their demands”, but did not elaborate.
After an all-party meeting in Chandigarh on Friday, the Chief Minister had said “a way will be worked out to give reservation to Jats”.
Jats have been demanding quota in jobs and educational institutions under OBC category. The agitators on Saturday demanded a “written assurance from the government”, saying they “cannot be befooled with hollow promises every time“.
Live updates:
6:50 pm: While 136 trains were diverted, 68 were partially cancelled. Overall, services of 419 Mail or Express trains were hit, officials said.
6:45 pm: The Jat stir in Haryana has severely hit the movement of more than 800 trains.
6:36 pm: Haryana Staff Selection has rescheduled the examinations for two posts in Kaithal city to March 20 on administrative grounds, officials said.
6:20 pm: "We will not accept mere statements issued by Khattar. The government will have to promulgate ordinance first. The government should pass a Bill in this regard in the Assembly”, says All India Jat Aarakshan Sangarsh Samiti’s national president Yashapal Malik. >More
6.00 pm: Several Jat leaders refuse to call off the pro-quota agitation unless the government promulgates an ordinance to include the community in the OBC category.
5.20 pm: Around 200 paramilitary personnel airlifted to Rohtak from New Delhi after Jat protesters blocked roads following fresh incidents of violence.
4.42 pm: Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar in a statement asks agitators to “return to their homes as the government has accepted their demands”, but did not elaborate.
4:40 pm: Curfew has been clamped in three more Haryanana towns — Sonipat, Gohana and Jhajjar — on Saturday as sporadic incidents of arson continue.
4.30 pm: Maruti suspends operations at Gurgaon, Manesar plants as component supplies get hit by Jat quota stir.
4:30 pm: The trains which were cancelled are Ahmedabad — New Delhi Rajdhani Express, Jodhpur-Delhi Mandore Express, Jodhpur/Bikaner-Delhi Sampark Kranti Express, Udaipur-Delhi Chetak Express, Ajmer-New Delhi Shatabdi Express, Ajmer-Haridwar Express, Ajmer-Amritsar Express, Delhi-Udaipur Chetak Express and Delhi-Bandra Terminus Garibrath Express.
4:15 pm: Nine trains have been cancelled due to Jat agitation.
4.00 pm: Petrol pumps in various areas have gone dry as fresh supplies are not being received.
3:18 pm: Curfew was clamped in Rohtak and Bhiwani with shoot-at-sight orders in place.
3:15 pm: " The National Highway- 1 is blocked near Sonipat but efforts are on to get the blockade lifted. At many places the agitating Jats are lifting blockades after persuasion": Mr. Singhal.
3:10 pm: There were reports of arson and rioting from across the State including Rohtak, Jind, Hisar, Panipat and Sonipat, says. Haryana Director-General of Police Yash Pal Singhal.
2:39 pm: Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar holds a meeting with his Ministers and top officials to take stock of the situation. Apart from Mr. Khattar and senior Ministers, top bureaucrats, including Chief Secretary and Principal Secretary (Home), State DGP attended the meeting, official sources said. >More....
01:30 pm.: Army took out a flag march in Hisar and cleared rail and road blockades set by Jat protesters who continued to indulge in arson and violence.
A contingent of army along with police cleared road blockades and rail tracks put up by protesters at several places, official sources said.The army also took out flag march near village Mayyar where Jats are sitting near the rail track on Hisar—Bhiwani route.
12: 30 p.m.: A mob pelted stones at the house of senior Haryana Minister O.P. Dhankar here as the agitation spread to more areas in the state. >Read more
11: 20 a.m.: BJP President Amit Shah asks Jat leaders of the party to talk to protesters and sort out the issue soon - ANI
11: 10 a.m.: A railway station in Jhajjar was set on fire by protesters.
11: 07 a.m.: Meanwhile, the Chief Minister of Haryana has appealed to his citizens to maintain law and order in the State.
I appeal to all my fellow Haryanvis to maintain law & order in the State, and ensure that harmony is maintained in the society.
— Manohar Lal Khattar (@mlkhattar) >February 19, 2016
10: 45 a.m.:
Jats block traffic at several points in Gurgaon. City brought to standstill. >@DelhiConnect>@abaruah64
— Ashok Berwal (@AshokBerwal7) >February 20, 2016
10: 30 a.m.: Haryana Roadways buses set on fire by protesters.
09: 48 a.m.: "Around 500 trains were affected, we had to cancel 72 trains yesterday," says Neeraj Sharma, CPRO Northern Railways.
09: 30 a.m.: Former Chief Minister of Haryana, Bhupinder Hooda has spoken on the unrest in the State. "There have been some law and order problems due to protests in the past but never at this scale," he said.
On Friday, the agitation that started a week ago, got even worse and resulted in the death of three people and dozens, including security personnel, injured.
The Army has been called in to eight districts — Rohtak, Bhiwani, Jhajjar, Sonipat, Hisar, Panipat, Jind and Kaithal.
Jat quota stir: The issue so far
In Haryana, Jats are a politically influential community and constitute nearly 29 per cent of the population. Jats have refused to call off the agitation despite the assurance that they will be included in the Economically Backward Category(EBC) of general caste and that EBC quota will be increased from 10% to 20%. They are seeking reservation under the Other Backward Classes(OBC) category. The AIJASS has said that only inclusion in OBC will let them seek job quota in central government departments.
March 2008
All India Jat Mahasabha raises demand for quota at a convention in Jind.
September 2010
All India Jat Arakshan Sangharsh Samiti(AIJASS), led by Hawa Singh Sangwan, blocks rain traffic in Hisar's Mayyar village. A youth dies during this protest.
March 2011
AIJASS resumes agitation at Mayyar village, blocks railway tracks.
December 2012
Haryana government gives special backward status to Jats with 10% quota to five castes. Read more
March 2014
UPA government grants OBC status to Jats. Read more
March 17, 2015
Supreme Court sets aside the notification that granted OBC status to Jats. Read more
March 26, 2015
Narendra Modi meets representatives of Khap Panchayats and Jat leaders, supports quota demand. Read more
February 2016
AIJASS resumes agitation for inclusion if Jats as OBC. Read more
