New Delhi: The Jats on Sunday deferred their quota protests and the planned siege of Parliament on Monday after a truce was reached following a meeting between community leaders and the Haryana government. The Jat leaders warned, however, that they would review their position on the protests after 15 days.
The Jats decided to call off the agitation for now after a marathon four-hour meeting with Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar and two Union ministers, Birender Singh and P.P. Chaudhary, who are both Jats.
“The Centre and the state will soon begin the process of giving reservation after the Delhi high court order,” Mr Khattar told reporters at a joint press conference with All-India Jat Aarakshan Sangharsh Samiti chief Yashpal Malik.
“Ab Jat Dilli na aa rahe (Now Jats are not coming to Delhi). We have called off our agitation and march towards Delhi. The state government has agreed to our demands,” Mr Malik told reporters after the meeting. He added that the community will call off its dharna from most places in the state, barring few where it will carry on symbolic protests. After the announcement, the authorities in Delhi, which was on tenterhooks, eased the restrictions proposed to be put in the capital on Monday. The Delhi Metro said its services will now run normally except for curbs on exit at certain stations close to Parliament.
The Metro stations in Gurgaon, Noida and Faridabad will remain open as usual on Monday, but commuters will not be allowed to exit at four Yellow Line stations — Central Secretariat, Patel Chowk, Udyog Bhavan and Lok Kalyan Marg. However, entry will be allowed at these stations, according to a Delhi Metro advisory.
In view of the planned march to Parliament on Monday, prohibitory orders had been clamped in Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan to stop Jat protesters from entering Delhi. About 24,700 paramilitary personnel had been mobilised to maintain peace. The Metro and road transport services were curtailed and several schools had been closed in the national capital.
“The protest by the All-India Jat Aarakshan Sangarsh Samiti has been postponed, (but) security arrangements at the borders and in New Delhi area will remain till further orders. It will be lifted only after monitoring the situation,” said special commissioner Dependra Pathak.
Mr Khattar said the two sides arrived at a “consensus”, and as a part of it the Haryana government will “reassess cases registered between 2010-17 on protesters and Jats will get full justice”. He said: “The next of kin of those killed and handicapped during these protests will be provided permanent jobs. Also, all those who were injured during the protests will be provided with their compensation quickly. The role of the officers will also be probed, and we will take strict action against the guilty after investigation. All this will be done quickly and in a time-bound manner so that Jats get justice. This is our desire and we believe this issue will get resolved,” the CM was quoted by news agencies as saying. The CM added that as soon as the chairman and members of the NCBC are appointed, the process of reservation for Jats will be initiated at the Centre.
“With regard to Haryana, the bill for reservation is pending in the high court and as soon as the decision comes, we will begin the process to include them in the 9th Schedule of the Constitution,” he added.
Besides quotas, the Jats have been demanding the release of those jailed during last year’s agitation, withdrawal of cases slapped during the protests and government jobs for the families of those killed and injured while taking part in the stir. The Jats have been sitting on dharna in various parts of Haryana since January 29.
“The government will now work according to the law and undertake a survey and check ground realities so that the decision we finally take stands in court,” said Mr P.P. Chaudhary, minister of state for law and justice. He added: “The reservation process will be expedited after the appointment of the National Commission of Backward Classes (NCBC) chairperson, and we want to ensure reservation for the community which is not stuck anywhere due to legal issues.”
A Haryana ministerial panel led by senior minister Ram Bilas Sharma held talks with Jats in Panipat on March 16, after which the minister said an agreement had been reached.
