CHANDIGARH: The Jat community has given the Haryana government a five-day ultimatum to resolve their demands, as the second round of talks between Jat leaders and the committee formed by the State government on Monday, remained inconclusive. The Jat agitation seeking reservation in education and government jobs will continue across the State.
All-India Jat Aarakshan Sangharsh Samiti president Yashpal Malik said, “We had a second round of talks with the government officials on Monday in Panipat but they remained inconclusive. The government has formed a four member committee to look into the cases filed against the youth in last year’s agitation and whether they can be withdrawn as per law or not. The committee will have two government officials and two of our representatives. But we are stuck to our demand that these cases should be withdrawn.”
In the first round of talks held on February 12 between Jat leaders and the committee, the leaders had given a charter of seven demands and the committee had reportedly promised to look into them. “We have given the government five days time to resolve all our demands and get back to us. If they (government) are unable to arrive at a solution, we will hold executive meeting on February 24 in which further course of action will be decided,” he said, adding that dharnas will continue across the state.
He claimed that the government has agreed to enhance the compensation of those injured with bullet injuries from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 2 lakh.
Praising Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, Yashpal Malik said that Khattar is a good person but some Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders are eyeing his post and thus misleading the government.
They have already decided to hold a protest on March 2 in Delhi after which they will submit a memorandum to President Pranab Mukherjee seeking reservation in education and government jobs, and will on a later date gherao Parliament.
The charter of demands to the State government include a demand that the cases registered against the protesting youth be immediately withdrawn, reservation be given to the Jat community both in educational institutions and jobs or that the Union government reservation be extended. They also demanded compensation and jobs to those injured in last year's protests, permanent jobs to the kin of the deceased protest victims and that action should be taken against officials who instigated violence in the protests. They also demanded an inquiry to be conducted by Parliament Ethics Committee against Member of Parliament Raj Kumar Saini for his provocative speeches against the Jat community in the last two years, and action be taken against him accordingly.