In khap-ruled Haryana, few takers for Cong's Jat reservation card

By Rajendra Khatry

Chandigarh: In the Jat heartland of Haryana, comprising the districts of Rohtak, Jind, Bhiwani, Sonepat, Hisar, Kurukshetra, Rewari and Kaithal, the khap panchayats still decide the political choices the members of the community make. Over the years they have stopped being vocal about their support to any particular political group, yet it is their support that mostly decides elections in the state. No wonder they are being wooed heavily by all major political parties - the Congress, the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) or the BJP – in the run-up to the polls.

In the last two general elections, the Jat votes had tilted in favour of the Congress to some extent under the influence of khap panchayats. Some of them had openly extended their support to the party, much to the discomfiture of the INLD. However, the Congress appears to be out of favour this time. The panchayats are seething in anger over growing unemployment, rising corruption and the worsening conditions of the farmers, who feel cheated for having been coerced into selling their land to land sharks, government and the corporate houses at low prices.

Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, himself a Jat, had to face the ire of his community at some places for having favoured only the Rohtak district to which he belongs. Hooda, who is facing a strong anti-incumbency wave, is making desperate efforts to win over the khaps.

In the first such move in the direction last year, Hooda ensured reservation to the Jat community last year. But things had gone awry much before, leading to violence and the shooting of three persons by the police in Hisar during a sustained agitation launched by the community. During the campaign for the Lok Sabha elections, the Haryana Congress has been harping on the reservation issue, but things reportedly are not working according to its plan.

Yashpal, leader of the Akhil Bhartiya Jat Arakshan Sangathan, says: “As a social organization we have tried to remain non-political as far as possible, but we did have expectations from the Congress. The party, however, did not extend any support to the khaps. The claims of the Congress of having provided reservations to the Jats is a sham. We got reservation as a result of our long-drawn agitation,” he says.

Another Khap leader Dharampal says the organization was maintaining equal distance from all parties. “We have not issued any `fatwa’ or `farman’ for the Jats during the election. Had it not been for the sacrifice of the Jats during the struggle on the reservation issue, the community would not have been successful at all. The Congress is a party ruled by people involved in scams and scandals. Yeh to ghotala walon ki party hai,” charges Dharampal.

Santosh Dahiya, state President of the Akhil Bhartiya Shakti Mahila Manch, the women’s wing of the Sarv Jatiya Sarv Khap Mahapanchayat, says their organization is neither favouring nor opposing any political party. “We will support candidates who have a clean image and are not involved in any scandal,” she declares.

The Congress under Hooda, however, has got support from Jat Arakshan Sangharsh Samiti and some other khaps. A group of khaps resently organized a public honour programme for Hooda and  Randeep Singh Surjewala, another prominent Jat leader and the Industries Minister of Haryana, at Denoda village in Narwana, Jind. Incidentally Jind is considered the stronghold of the Chautalas. “We are openly supporting the Chief Minister and his MP son Deepinder Hooda. We are thankful to the duo for ensuring reservation for Jats,” says Hawa Singh Sangwan, State president of Jat Arakshan Sangharsh Samiti. Similarly Jorawar Singh Sangwan, chief of Sangwan Khap admitted they were supporting the Congress candidate Shruti Chowdhry in Bhiwani-Mahendergarh.

The Meham Chaubisi Khap reportedly is divided over support to the Congress and the INLD. Kuldeep Dhanda, Convenor of the Sarv Khap Panchayat, says they have two demands - amendment in the Hindu Marriage Act to prevent youngsters from marrying in the same caste and to get constitutional status of Lok Adalats to settle dowry related matters and marital discord through legal process. “We will support candidates who incorporate social reforms to curb honour killing, help improve child sex ratio and provide safety and security to women,” says Tulsi Grewal, chief of Meham Chaubisi.