Haryana to withdraw cases against Jats

The Haryana government is preparing to withdraw cases against Jats who had indulged in violence during the 2016 quota stir.

The immediate trigger to withdraw these criminal cases comes in the wake of the scheduled bike rally of BJP national president Amit Shah in Jind on February 15.

All India Jat Aarakshan Samithi president Yashpal Malik has threatened to disrupt the rally.

Unwilling to allow a showdown during Shah's visit, the Khattar government is trying to placate the Jat community, which has been demanding the withdrawal of cases, compensation and quota in jobs.

The government which has sought nearly 24 companies of paramilitary forces is wary of the chaos that can unfold in wake of the threats by the Jat leaders.

The government is under pressure fearing a repeat of the 2016 quota stir. The government formed a committee to review many of these criminal cases against protesters. It maintains that the cases that have been ordered to be withdrawn are not of a serious nature.

For over a week in early 2016, Haryana was held to ransom by protesters of the Jat community who took to streets in support of their quota-in-job demand. Widespread violence, loot and arson were witnessed on streets with several parts of the state.

This week, the state government decided to initiate the process for withdrawing cases against at least 850 protesters who were made accused in several dozens of FIRs. The number of FIRs in which the government has now allowed amnesty of sorts has gone up to over 200, sources said.

Allegations of rape by unidentified suspects during the protest too are being probed.