Next protest will be in Delhi, warn Jats
AIJASS chief Yashpal Malik attacks BJP leaders at Rohtak rally, demands CBI inquiry into February quota violence
ROHTAK: The next protest demanding quota for Jats will happen in Delhi, warned the All India Jat Aarakshan Sangharsh Samiti here on Saturday. The AIJASS issued the threat at the ‘bhaichara’ (brotherhood) rally in Rohtak, where a huge crowd had gathered.
AIJASS national president Yashpal Malik brought along representatives of Patidar, Gujjar and Maratha agitation to raise the demand for quota for Jats, which has been stayed by the Punjab and Haryana high court.
Accusing the government of putting up a weak defence in court, the AIJASS chief repeated the community’s demands, including reservation under backward class and withdrawal of cases against those booked during the February stir. “The government must not force us to go back on the protest route. The next time, we will turn our tractor-trailers towards Delhi,” he said. TO RALLY IN PUNJAB TOO
The Jat leader also announced more rallies in coming days. The first will be held at Hisar’s Mayyar village on September 13 and the other in Ferozepur district of Punjab on September 28. “In election-bound states of Punjab and Uttar Pradesh, Jats will vote in favour of only those parties that support our reservation,” said Malik. AIJASS members from UP and Punjab also supported him.
The Jat leader also attacked Kurukshetra MP Raj Kumar Saini, although without naming him. “A minister in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is trying hard to create a castedivide. We will not let it happen this time,” he said.
Earlier, the BJP MP was scheduled to hold his rally in Rohtak on Saturday to meet the February quota violence victims. After Malik announced a parallel rally the same day, Saini postponed his rally by a day to avoid a face-off. With a massive crowd attending Malik’s rally on Saturday, sources said the BJP later is making last-minute efforts to make his Sunday rally a success.
Malik also attacked Jat ministers (Captain Abhimanyu and OP Dhankar) in the BJP for betraying the community. Demanding an inquiry by the Central Bureau of Investigation into the February riots, Malik said: “Our men died due to the BJP’s conspiracy, and we want everything to come out in the open.” COPS KEEP VIGIL
A heavy police force was keeping vigil in the city as Jats from across Haryana, UP, Delhi and Punjab attended the rally. A police spokesperson said one additional director general of police, three inspector generals of police, seven superintendents of police and 17 deputy superintendents of police had rushed to the district to maintain law and order during the two back-to-back rallies on Saturday and Sunday.