Jat leaders to form a nationallevel organisation for ‘image makeover’

The community wants to improve its image, which it believes was “tarnished” due to violence during last year’s agitation; fiveday national seminar at Kurukshetra to prepare a blueprint of the campaign

The new working committee of AIJASS is in the process of being formed and from May 15, AIJASS national president Yashpal Malik will visit all districts of the state to spread awareness about the success of the campaign. BALWAN KOTRA, AIJASS leader from Kaithal

After having led a 48-day long statewide stir for reservation, Jat leaders in the state are now planning a campaign to improve the community’s image, which they believe was “tarnished” due to violence during last year’s agitation.

Sources in the All India Jat Aarakshan Sangharsh Samiti (AIJASS) said that the community’s leaders have decided to hold a national-level five-day ‘Sammelan’ from June 16 to 20 at Jat Dharamshala in Kurukshetra, where about 600 Jat leaders from Jat-dominated states of the country will meet and prepare a blueprint for the campaign.

“During the ‘Sammelan’, a national-level Jat organisation, on the pattern of RSS, will also be created which will work for the welfare of needy people of all castes and communities,” a senior AIJASS leader told Hindustan Times. He said that the organisation will work as an imagebuilder for the Jat community.

Sources said that the organisation will also work to unite Jats across the country so as to pressurise the central government to provide reservation at the central level before the next general election due in 2019.

Another AIJASS leader, who did not wish to be identified, said that efforts are being made to improve the Jat community’s image, which was “tarnished” due to violence during last year’s agitation in which 31 people were killed and public and private properties worth several crores were set on fire.

The move is also being seen as an effort to counter the criticism of the BJP’s Kurukshetra MP Rajkumar Saini, who accused the community of “harming the social fabric and snatching the rights of others”. The Sammelan will be held in Saini’s constituency and the AIJASS leaders have also been told to involve members of other communities in the campaign to send across a message of social fraternity.

The AIJASS, meanwhile, had to cancel its April 16 rally as people were busy harvesting wheat.

“The new working committee of AIJASS is in the process of being formed and from May 15, AIJASS national president Yashpal Malik will visit all districts of the state to spread awareness about the success of the campaign and keep them united in future,” said Balwan Kotra, AIJASS leader from Kaithal.

He said that AIJASS leaders are already working to unite the members of other four communities Jat Sikh, Ror, Tyagi, Mulla Jat and Bishnoi, who have also been given reservation benefits along with Jats.