Haryana promises bill to provide Jat quota

The Haryana government is caught in a piquant situation to deal with the crisis even as ministers and officials are frantically making attempts to persuade Jat protestors to give up the agitation. 

Jat reservation has been struck down by the apex court and the state government has already filed a special leave petition (SLP) in the top court against its order. 

The government on Friday succumbed to the demands of the protesters and promised that it will introduce a legislation in the upcoming Assembly session to provide reservation. Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, who convened an all-party meeting in Chandigarh on Friday, hoped the agitation would be called off shortly after the announcement. He said the government was in favour of reservation to Jats in the state and was trying to find ways and means for this. 

Khattar said: “The state government would prepare a draft bill for reservation and suggestions have also been sought from all parties in this regard. The government has a positive approach to this demand and if all parties agree, the government would bring a bill in the ensuing session of Haryana Vidhan Sabha”. 

The chief minister said that MP Raj Kumar Saini, who had earlier issued an anti-Jat quota remark, has been asked to withdraw his statement. “If the words of Saini have hurt the sentiments of the Jats, all his statements may be treated as withdrawn. Saini is out of station and as and when he comes back, he would take his words back,” the chief minister said.

The government on Wednesday has already announced to double the quota for economically backward classes, but that did not help matters. The chief minister said that in a meeting with a section of agitating Jats on February 17, 2016, he had announced to enhance the quota of reservation in government jobs and for admission to educational institutions for economically backward classes from 10 to 20 per cent.

Earlier, in a meeting with Jat community leaders to resolve the issue, it was decided to constitute a committee under the chairmanship of chief secretary to study all aspects of the issue of reservation for Special Backward Classes.