Restive khaps vow to resume quota stir

MEHAM: Khap representatives, speaking at the ‘Shaheed Samman Samaroh’ here today, pledged to put up a concerted fight till the Jats were granted reservation in jobs. Family members of those killed during the February quota agitation were honoured at the event that saw a massive turnout.

Members of various khaps in Meham town of Rohtak on Tuesday.

Sunit Dhawan

Tribune News Service

Meham, September 13

Khap representatives, speaking at the ‘Shaheed Samman Samaroh’ here today, pledged to put up a concerted fight till the Jats were granted reservation in jobs. Family members of those killed during the February quota agitation were honoured at the event that saw a massive turnout.

The organiser, Meham Chaubisi Sarvkhap Panchayat head Tulsi Grewal, announced that a rally would be held at Ramlila Grounds in Delhi in December. Prior to that, rallies would be organised in Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. A yatra would be undertaken to mobilise support for the rallies.

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The speakers launched a scathing attack on the BJP government at the Centre and in the state for

"misleading" the Jats on the reservation issue.The community leaders, objecting to the anti-Jat tirade by the BJP's Kurukshetra MP, Raj Kumar Saini, alleged he had the Khattar government's tacit report.

They warned the BJP it would have to "suffer the consequences of not keeping its promises to the Jats" in the coming Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh and Punjab.

Assuring help to those arrested in connection with the quota agitation, the Jat leaders claimed the community stood united in its "struggle" and a joint meeting of Jat outfits would be held in Delhi on September 28 to chalk out a plan to resume the stir.

The Sarvjatiya Sarvkhap Mahapanchayat head, Dr Santosh Dahiya, and Jat reservation leader Hawa Singh Sangwan were among those who addressed the gathering. Addressing a rally in Hisar's Mayyar village, the All-India Jat Aarakshan Sanghrash Samiti president, Yashpal Malik, said they would resume their agitation when the next session of Parliament commenced.

“The Congress as well as the BJP have betrayed the Jats on their demand for reservation. The central and state governments are adopting a dual policy and wasting time by prolonging the issue in courts," he alleged.