Jat youths upset, leaders have reservations
Thanking govt for fulfilling promise, AIJASS national chief Yashpal Malik to now push for 12% quota in Classes 1, 2 jobs
KARNAL/ROHTAK: The Haryana Backward Classes (Reservation in Services and Admission in Educational Institutions) Bill, 2016, passed by the state assembly on Tuesday has received a mixed response from the Jat community.
While khaps and senior leaders have welcomed the passage of the bill that provides 10% reservation in Classes 3 and 4 posts and 6% in higher jobs to Jats and five other castes, Jat youths have called it “unsatisfactory”.
Although expressing happiness over the Tuesday development, All India Jat Aarakshan Sangharsh Samiti (AIJASS) national president Yashpal Malik demanded an amendment to the bill to double the 6% reservation given in Classes 1 and 2 jobs.
“I thank Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar for accepting the long- pending demand of Jats , but we also demand an amendment to the bill to increase reservation under Classes 1 and 2 to 12% from 6%,” said Malik.
Confident that the Supreme Court would not stay the reservation, Malik said: “Now, we will hold a meeting in Delhi to take up our demand of reservation at the Centre. We will also approach the National Commission for Backward Classes for it.”
AIJASS leader Hawa Singh Sangwan, who led the rail blockade in Mayyar village of Hisar that was a precursor to the protests that engulfed the whole state, said: “We are satisfied with the quota bill passed by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government.”
Sangwan, who was earlier not called for the meeting held in Chandigarh to discuss the formulation of the bill, said: “This was the only way to give reservation to Jats. We did not want to fight with other castes by taking away their quota share. But, we will be happy only when we get reservation in the central jobs.”
On their demand for withdrawal of cases against Jat youths following the statewide stir, Sangwan said their protest would continue till the government relents.
Khap leaders, too, praised the BJP government for keeping its promise. They, however, questioned the quota percentage. Nandal Khap chief Mahender Singh Nandal said: “We are happy that the government kept its promise. But how fair it is to give 10% reservation to communities that have a population of more than 34%?” Nandal said they would take up the matter “peacefully” with the government.
R ohta k-based Jat Ekta Manch, however, criticised the government for “making a joke in the name of the reservation bill”, which was passed unanimously by the Haryana assembly.
Jat youth leader Naveen Malik said: “We were protesting to get reservation under the backward classes (BC)-B category, but they gave us reservation under the BC-C category. We will not accept this.” He said Jat youths will hold meetings in the coming days to decide their future course of action.
Vinit Dhankar, a lawyer and another youth leader, said: “We are not satisfied with the bill at all. First of all, the government considered the KC Gupta commission report, the Supreme Court has already dismissed. Second, they have requested the Centre to include the bill in the ninth schedule of the constitution, which is a lengthy process. Also, the state government has given us only 6% reservation in Classes 1 and 2 government jobs. Jats don’t just want to be jawans and clerks. We want administrative roles as well?”
The Jat reservation bill passed by the Haryana Vidhan Sabha has neither made those who gave the quota happy, nor those who got it. The Khattar government has taken the decision in a hurry.
ASHOK TANWAR, state Cong chief I welcome the bill brought for Jats and others without disturbing the existing quota. The government could have prevented large-scale violence had it brought the bill a year and a half ago.
ABHAY CHAUTALA, INLD leader The Hooda government had played a game in the name of Jat reservation that led to a rift between Jats and non-Jats. Same thing is being done by Khattar. Everyone knows the bill will not stand legal scrutiny.
YOGENDRA YADAV, Swaraj Abhiyan