Jat protest shifts to Sampla

Sunit Dhawan

Tribune News Service

Sampla (Rohtak), February 14

A day after the All-India Jat Aarakshan Sangharsh Samiti (AIJASS) lifted their rail blockade from Hisar’s Mayyar village, another faction of the community organised a ‘Jat Swabhiman Rally’ and blocked the Delhi-Fazilka NH-10 here today.

Jats are protesting for reservation in government jobs and education institutes under the OBC category.

In today’s protest, khap leaders from Rohtak, Jhajjar and Sonepat districts participated and their plan of action was to organise only a rally.

The situation turned volatile when a majority of Jats defied the advice of khap heads and other elders to wait till March 31, the date by which the government has assured the community to meet their demand.

Those leading the rally proposed a state-level meeting in Rohtak on April 6 to discuss the matter and take a final decision.

Ruckus, however, broke out as a majority of the participants said they wanted immediate and “concrete” action. They grabbed the centre-stage and some of them directed others to block roads and the railway track.

As soon as this was announced from the dais, a mob of nearly 1,500 men rushed to the bypass and blocked the NH-10.

Acting promptly, the police and administration got the vehicular traffic diverted.

Later, Rohtak Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Dalbir Phogat and Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Amit Dahiya reached the protest ssite. They tried to pacify the protesters by offering to fix a meeting of Jats’ representatives with Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar.

The protesters, however, were adamant on having some Jat minister at the site for talks.

Rohtak Deputy Commissioner (DC) DK Behera said efforts were under way to resolve the situation and get the blockade lifted. The blockade was on till the time of filing the news report.

Efforts were being made to arrange a meeting of protesters with Agriculture Minister Om Prakash Dhankhar, who met AIJASS leaders in Hansi on Saturday and broke the deadlock.

The decision to organise today’s rally was taken at a meeting of khap leaders from Rohtak, Jhajjar and Sonepat districts in Rohtak’s Bohar village recently. Nandal khap president Mahender Singh was the convener of the rally, while community leader Jai Singh Ahlawat presided over the event.

A considerable number of Jat youths from Sanghi, the ancestral village of former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, were present at the rally venue.