Jat quota protests: What is it all about?

February 20, 2016 07:00 pm | Updated December 04, 2021 11:01 pm IST

Jat community members turn violent during their agitation for reservation in Rohtak on Friday.

Jat community members turn violent during their agitation for reservation in Rohtak on Friday.

Jat quota agitation that started a week ago, turned > violent resulting in deaths of 10 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 and over 5,000 security personnel have been deployed in affected districts.

Who are Jats?

In Haryana, Jats are a politically influential community and constitute nearly 29 per cent of the population. Jats originally belonged to farming communities and now mostly live in Haryana, Punjab, Delhi, Rajasthan and UP. Their population in total is about 82.5 million. Over the years, they have become politically active in certain states, especially in Haryana and Punjab.

What are their demands

Jats, Jat Sikhs, Rors, Tyagis and Bishnois, are seeking reservation under the Other Backward Classes(OBC) category. They had been promised that the Economically Backward Category(EBC) quota will be increased from 10% to 20% by the state government.

In addition to this they were also promised the annual income ceiling from Rs 2.5 lakh to Rs 6 lakh to accommodate more people under the category.

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 of Jats as OBC. Read more

Effect of agitation on normal life

Internet and mobile SMS services have been suspended by authorities in Rohtak district in the wake of protests by Jat community on February, 20. The decision was taken “to maintain law and order” in the district. > Read more

Supply of essential commodities like milk, vegetables and LPG hit. Supply of petroleum products affected in Rohtak, Jind, Bhiwani, Sonepat and Hisar

Disruption in water supply to Delhi from Haryana’s Munak canal due to the agitation has severely affected the city. > Read more

Some fuel pumps have reportedly gone dry in affected districts of Haryana.

March 2016

Following the death of 30 people, Jat leaders threaten to resume agitation in case the BJP-led Haryana government does not meet their demands by March 17.  Read more

Jat leaders and Haryana Chief Secretary and Director General of Police meet. The community leaders agree to give the government time to get a reservation bill.

The Haryana Assembly on March 29 passed the Haryana Backward Classes (Reservation in Services and Admission in Educational Institutions) Bill, 2016 to provide reservation for Jats and four other communities in government jobs and education. Read more

May 2016

The Punjab and Haryana High Court stays reservation for Jats and members of five other provided by the Haryana government under a newly carved Backward Classes (C) category. More...

June 2016

The State braces for another round of agitation. Jat community in Haryana starts a second round of protest demanding reservation in government jobs and educational institutes.

July 2016

The Jat community leaders says they will not protest till July 21, by which the Punjab and Haryana High Court has sought the state government's reply.

The community suspends the protest till the Monsoon session of Haryana Assembly, where the demands will be discussed.

August 2016

All India Jat Arakshan Sangarsh Samiti decides to take out a 'bhaichara' rally at Rohtak to decide on the further course of action.

September 2016

The Samiti announces to raise Jat reservation issue in poll-bound Punjab.

December 2016

Jats decide to renew agitation from January 2017.

Read more

January 2017

The district administration imposes Section 144 in parts of Rohtak district as a precautionary measure in view of the call given by a section of Jats for a fresh round of quota agitation from January 29. Read more

Members of the Jat community stage peaceful dharnas at Ramayan village near the Hisar-Bhiwani railway track, Jolilath village on Sonipat-Gohana road, Jassia village on Rohtak Highway, Rasalwala Chowk in Jhajjar, Umrakheri village near Panipat-Shamli road, Bala village near Assandh road in Karnal. 

February 2017

Haryana Finance Minister Capt. Abhimanyu claims that the Jat agitation was politically motivated. He says that in view of the sentiments of the Haryana Vidhan Sabha, the court would pronounce its decision in favour of the reservation.

March 2017

Around 8-10 lakh Jats from Haryana , Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh are expected to reach Delhi in tractor-trolleys on March 20 in support of their demands, including reservation, Akhil Bharatiya Jat Aarakshan Sangharsh Samiti national president Yashpal Malik says.

The community plans a rally in the Jantar Mantar , Delhi on March 20. The rally kept police and security personnel on tenterhooks for much of the day. Sources in the security establishment put the number of protesters at the rally between 7,000 and 7,500.

 

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