The revival of the pro-reservation agitation by Jat groups in Haryana is being seen as an extension of the 2014 Assembly results, that saw a non-Jat becoming the Chief Minister of the State.
“Somewhere Jats have been feeling that they are now out of the power structure,” Pramod Kumar, director of the Institute for Development and Communication, Chandigarh, told The Hindu .
In the 2014 Assembly elections, the BJP had recorded a surprise win in Haryana. One of the key reasons seen behind its victory was the consolidation of non-Jat votes, especially in the northern and southern parts of the State, where non-Jats outnumber the Jats.
“Earlier, members of the Jat community did not go for jobs as they were landholders and employment was never their priority. But in recent years due to urbanisation and industrialisation many of them (Jats) sold their land. Now, they feel that through reservation they could get some kind of a foothold in the administration,” he said.
The challenge
Pointing out that the challenge before the Manohar Lal Khattar-led BJP government was to co-opt Jats and their leadership into the State’s power structure, Mr. Kumar said: “Haryana has to learn the techniques of social engineering. Conscious effort is required through co-option to deal with the situation.”
Mr. Khattar became the first non-Jat Chief Minister of the state in 18 years, since Mr. Bhajan Lal.
Mr. Ashutosh Kumar, professor of political science at Punjab University said while the Jat community in all likelihood felt deprived of political power, it was also true that all political parties including the Congress and BJP had promised to give them reservation and, therefore, they had a reason to agitate.
Pro-Jat reservation outfits are holding protests in parts of Haryana — under the banner of All India Jat Aarakshan Sangharsh Samiti.
