Agitation may fan similar demands in Raj, Haryana

While Rajasthan’s Gujjar community, which kicked off a violent campaign eight years ago for scheduled tribe status, came out in support of the Patels, Jats in Haryana threatened to intensify their stir for reservation in education and jobs stayed by the high court last month

Jats in Haryana have threatened to intensify their stir for reservation in education and jobs after a 2013 state government order extending the facility to them and four other communities was stayed by the high court last month.

The state had granted 10% reservation on a recommendation of the Haryana Backward Classes Commission under a special backward class quota for Jats, Jat Sikhs, Bishnois, Rors and Tyagis. A social organisation challenged the decision by the Bhupinder Singh Hooda-led Congress government of the time and obtained a stay order.

Pressure to oppose the Jats’ agitation is being mounted by other backward classes led by BJP MP from Kurukshetra, Rajkumar Saini, who has opposed it saying the move would eat into the 27% OBC (other backward classes) quota.

A Jat outfit called the Yuva Jat Fauj has announced its plans to launch protests for reservation while Saini has decided to form an OBC brigade to oppose it.

State president of the principal Opposition party in Haryana, the Indian National Lok Dal, Ashok Arora has termed the developments the beginning of divisions in society.

Hawa Singh Sangwan, president of the Haryana unit of the Akhil Bharatiya Jat Arakshan Sangharsh Samiti, told HT that his organisation would step up protests as people had understood the BJP was using religion and caste to distract them from real issues. “Though I am against protests such as blockades on national highways or rail tracks, we would soon announce our agitation for reservation after the ensuing panchayat elections in Haryana,” Sangwan said.