Changed face of Jat quota protest: Women turn out to shield their men

IN A pale blue salwar-kameez, her head and face covered with her dupatta, the speaker at the Jat Nyaya Dharna tells the audience about the “false promises” made by the Haryana government. “Jat ki chhaati itni chaudi hai, woh desh ki suraksha ke liye goli bhi kha sakta hai (A Jat is so brave he can take bullets to keep the country safe), he can make sacrifices for the rights of his community, he can make sacrifices for his fields, for his family...” the woman says, citing the example of Major Satish Dahiya from Narnaul, who died battling militants in Kashmir on February 14.

Haryana’s Jat community is once again in agitation mode, renewing last year’s stir that ended after days of violence. Unlike last year, the protests have remained peaceful this time round. Unlike last year, women are the unlikely foot soldiers of this year’s agitation.

Thousands of women are being mobilised across Haryana ahead of dharnas in all districts to mark Balidan Divas or the ‘day of sacrifice’ on Sunday in protest against the deaths of 21 Jats who were among 30 killed in last year’s protests. Jassia had no casualties then, though a youth from these parts was injured in police firing.

“Those women who come here are the true daughters of Bharat Mata. Bring your families, your parents,” the woman speaker on the stage declares, asking women to gather in “lakhs” on February 19.

In the cheering and applauding audience are hundreds of women, heads and faces veiled, sitting on dhurries placed on the uneven ground. They are seated in the front. The men bring up the rows behind the women.

As she gets off the stage after rounding off her speech with an inspirational rhyme on Jat icon Sir Chhotu Ram, women, old and young, reach out to shake her

Express CRPF personnel at Rohtak on Saturday.