Jat Arakshan Sangharsh Samiti (JASS) on Tuesday claimed that all processes regarding reservation for Jats has been completed and now, the State is preparing its report to forward it to the Centre, which too will be done very shortly.
Hawa Singh Sangwan, president of the Samiti, talking to mediapersons after meeting Chief Minister of Haryana, Bhupinder Singh Hooda at the CM residence here said that Hooda had assured all members of the delegation that all the formalities relating to commission,
survey, etc. had been done and they were preparing a report which would be submitted
very soon.
The State Government, however, is yet to confirm the development.
Jat leader Sangwan has also threatened that if the state government did not do any thing till September 13 in this regard they will announce further agitation in the meeting at ‘Garhi Sampla’.
“The Government can not upset the Jats who form the core of its vote bank,” he added.
On June 12 last, the then Union Home Minister P Chidambaram had assured a delegation of Congress leaders led by Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda that he would ask the National Commission for Backward Classes to expedite the report on the demand for including Jats irrespective of their region or religion in the central list of other Backward Classes (OBCs) for reservation in jobs and educational institutions of the Central Government.
According to Jat leaders, Jats were essentially an agrarian community contributing to the country’s agricultural produce. But more than 95 per cent of the community was living as marginal farmers with an average land holding of less than two acres.
The same reservation has also demanded by Congress Legislative Party (CLP) leader Sunil Jakhar, from the neighbouring state Punjab.
It is a clear case of political compulsions also, for the past two years Haryana has gone through a turbulent phase with Jats, who enjoy about 20-22% presence in the state pressing hard for reservation in jobs in the backward class category. Blockades on rail tracks and roads, arson and turmoil have marked a feverish Jat stir every few months in parts of Haryana in the last two years.
The Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda had also forwarded a representation of the Jat Aarakshan Sangharsh Samiti seeking inclusion of Jats in the central list of other backward classes (OBC) for favourable consideration to the Centre.
Hooda also re-constituted Haryana Backward Classes Commission (HBCC) for including or excluding castes in the backward classes list. The representation sent to the Centre has also been referred to the National Commission for Backward Classes.