Malik says no to further dialogue with state govt
After an inconclusive first round of talks, All India Jat Aarakshan Sangharsh Samiti (AIJASS) national president Yashpal Malik on Wednesday ruled out any further dialogue with the government for the time being.
The AIJASS chief said he was forced to take this decision after hearing statements of chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar and his ministers.
“The chief minister has yet again said they will not withdraw cases (against Jat youths). Then why do they want to hold dialogue with us again? We are not interested in any talks with the government now,” said Malik, who was addressing a dharna of the Jat community at Ikkas village in Jind on Wednesday.
The Jat leader, who had earlier warned of an “earthquake” if their demands were not met by February 19, said they will be taking some tough decisions in the future.
“A meeting of the core committee of the AIJASS has been called on February 17 in Rohtak’s Jassia village, where a strategy will be made. We will disclose our future course of action on February 19,” hesaid.
TO HOLD MORE PROTESTS IN DELHI
Malik said they would focus on being more active with their protests in Delhi to pressure the Central leadership for their demands. The Jat community, led by Malik, has been holding dharnas in 19 Haryana districts for the past 18 days and day long sit-ins on alternate days in the capital. The Jat community has announced to observe February 19 as “Balidaan Divas” (or martyrdom day) in the memory of those killed during the last year’s quota stir. In view of the massive gathering expected on February 19, the state government has sought additional 56 paramilitary companies to prevent any untoward incident.
Amid relatively low turnout at ‘Jat Nyay Dharna’ in Jassia on Wednesday, the Jat leaders slammed the Khattar government “for working on casteist lines” and advised its Jat ministers to resign from the cabinet.
Meanwhile, residents of Bohar village in Rohtak on Wednesday announced that they will start a separate dharna in their village from February 20, if the demands of the Jat community were not met by February 19. Earlier, Yashpal Malik had also warned that if their demands were not met, they will take their dharnas to the village level at over 300 spots in Haryana.
SAYS HE WAS FORCED TO TAKE THE DECISION AFTER HEARING CM’S STATEMENT THAT GOVT WON’T DROP CASES AGAINST JAT YOUTHS