Jats since time immemorial have believed in the hallowed principles of equity, justice and good faith and have in this spirit peacefully co-existed with other communities and also welcomed and supported outsiders from other communities in their land.
This straightforwardness of a Jat has through the centuries turned into his weakness. He has lost majority and influence in regions which were once numerically, financially and socially dominated and supported by his community. Jats had substantial influence across the breadth of the country from Sindh to Eastern UP and also across the length of the country from Jammu to Maharashtra.
What once was one of the most influential communities is today a marginalised community which does not have a say in national politics, civil services, judiciary or any other influential body or organisation. What to talk of any Jat holding the senior most post, there is no adequate representation of the Jat community in the executive, judiciary or legislature. Today the mention of the word Jat in at least the urban cosmopolitan social circles evokes the same response as the word 'Harijan' evoked during the pre-independence days. There exists a prejudice against the Jats not only in giving him educational opportunities but also employment and promotional opportunities. Like it is said 'Badd se badnaam bura' Jats have had more than their share of badnaami. Countless qualified and educated youth from the community are unemployed who ultimately are left with two options in the absence of pro-active governance (govt. action in removing bias against the Jats and assisting them to come to the level of other communities which have moved ahead) - either take to driving taxies/cabs or take to hafta wasooli. A few years back even the Hon'ble Delhi High Court had pronounced in one of its judgements that Jats should not be given employment in DTC (Delhi Transport Corporation) as they are too rustic and rude (read hooligans/hudlooms/goondas). At the highest level, Gen Raj Kadyan was deliberately taken out of the race for Army Chief despite being the senior most officer in line for the coveted post because he was a Jat. This form of bias, prejudice and partiality against the Jats has been prevalent for decades and is actively practiced by not only the society at large but also the various arms of the govt despite the fact that Jats have smilingly given their lives for the safety, security and honour of the nation. The very same Jats who are made fun of have over the centuries toiled under the harsh sun and weather to feed the countless millions of countrymen.
Jats despite having had so many Jat CMs in Haryana have not got their due in terms of reservation for decades. We had Chautala ji earlier who didnot do anything more than lip service for the upliftment of the Jat community and now we have Hooda ji who has not done much better for the Jats than Chautala ji. Hooda ji like a true politician has despite being CM of Haryana for more than 6-7 years not got reservation for Jats and here all of us happy and rejoicing of a Jat again becoming CM. Hooda ji is a cosmopolitan leader who only remembers that he is a Jat when he needs votes from the Jats otherwise he forgets his community and in fact accorded Punjabi the second official language status in Haryana... Unfortunately our very so called Jat leaders have let us down time and again.
Post independence era the simple and straighforward Jats have been marginalised by the other communities which were in the govt., judiciary and parliament result of which has been that a Jat who earlier lived comfortably of his land was dispossessed of his land by the govt. under govt. orders with more often than not the compensation being much less than the market rates. No educational opportunities existed in their vicinity and as far as jobs were concerned, they were either for the reserved category or the manipulative baniyas/punjabis. Same was the case with business with baniyas and punjabis not letting the simple Jats grow business roots in their areas. This systematic 'Ethnic cleansing' has continued unabated for many decades now and is still continuing.
For all those fellow Jats who live in the JHOOTI SHAAN, my only question would be how would they feel when they have to salute and bow in front of a Meena or other reserved category person who is a IAS/IPS/HCS/HPS and who holds this post just because of reservation?? It is time to live in the real world and move ahead with the times knowing fully well that reservation is here to stay.