Haryana government claims Jats to call off stir

New Delhi: Leaders of the Jat community have agreed to call off their 48-day protest in various parts of the state over demands for reservation, the Haryana government on Friday claimed.

The protest is called off just days ahead of massive rally planned by the community to lay siege to the national capital.

Announcing the end of protests by Jats, Cabinet Minister Ram Bilas Sharma said that the state government has agreed to accept the seven demands of the community including putting the issue of reservation in the ninth schedule of the Constitution, till High Court gives its verdict on it.

"Jats, who are members of our big family have agreed to call off their agitation. The decision was taken after the meeting at Panipat yesterday. It was attended by all major khaps of Jat community. The state government has also accepted their seven demands," Sharma told reporters here.

However, the All-India Jat Aarakshan Sangarsh Samiti (AIJASS) leader Yashpal Malik was not present at the press conference when this announcement was made.

Malik was scheduled to be present at the conference along with Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar.

Informing about agreement between the two, Sharma said the government has agreed to give jobs to family members of those killed during the agitation within 60 days.

"Cases against all youth from the community who are in jails will also be reinvestigated," he added.

Yesterday, the Sharma-led high level committee had met Jat leaders in Panipat to end the agitation by the community.

The Haryana government had constituted a high-level three-member committee under the chairmanship of Sharma for holding talks on the Jat reservation issue.
Two other members include minister of state for social justice and empowerment Krishan Kumar Bedi and chief parliamentary secretary Kamal Gupta.

AIJASS which is spearheading the Jat quota stir, had given a call for the march to Delhi on March 20 to besiege Parliament and to hold dharnas on the Delhi border, blocking all highways, to press for their demands for reservation.