Jats resume quota stir, block rail track

Deepender Deswal

Tribune News Service

Mayyar (Hisar), February 12

Jats resumed their stir for OBC status by blocking the railway track on the Delhi-Hisar section in this village this afternoon.

The All-India Jat Arakshan Sangharsh Samiti (AIJASS) led by Hawa Singh Sangwan said the indefinite dharna launched at the railway track would continue till one of the four prominent Jat leaders of the state BJP--union minister Birender Singh, state ministers Capt Abhimanyu and Om Prakash Dhankar or BJP president Subhash Barala-- gave an assurance on their demand. They also retaliated to the jibes of BJP's Kurukshetra MP Ram Kumar Saini, who had been warning Jats against disrupting any rail or road traffic during the stir.

The blockade disrupted train services as three trains – Delhi-bound Gorakhdham express, Fazilka-Rewari passenger and Delhi-Ganganagar train discontinued their journey at Hisar and Hansi stations.

Sangwan, a retired commandant of the CRPF, who successfully led the previous stir, had called today's rally to resume the stir. About 700 persons, including women, attended the rally which was held about 2 km from the railway track.

At the start of the rally, the Jat leader served an ultimatum on the state government seeking an assurance on their demand till the culmination of the function. Sangwan later announced resumption of the stir and started marching towards the railway track.

“We would continue to sit here till any of the four Jat leaders- Birender Singh, Capt Abhimanyu and Om Prakash Dhankar or BJP president Subhash Barala-- come the venue and give an assurance to help us getting OBC quota”, Sangwan said while sitting on the track.

Sangwan said the agitation was also aimed at teaching MP Saini a lesson. “He has been playing the worst kind of divisive politics by announcing to set up an OBC Brigade to neutralise our dharna during the agitation. We are sitting on the track and expect Saini to turn up and take us on”, he said.

The previous UPA government had allowed OBC status to Jats through a notification on March 4, 2014, just before the Lok Sabha elections. But on being challenged in the court, the Supreme Court quashed the notification and abolished the OBC quota through an order on March 17, 2015.

With the BJP government coming to power at the Centre and in Haryana, Jats approached Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging him to defend their case in the court. Though Modi assured to do so, a section of BJP leaders opposed the quota to Jats.

The police was deployed about 2 km away from the dharna site. Led by a DSP, cops were stationed at a patrol pump on the highway. “We have directions to stay here”, said the officer.

Jat stir timeline

March, 2008- All-India Jat Mahasabha led by actor Dara Singh raised

the quota demand during its convention in Jind

September, 2010- AIJASS led by Hawa Singh Sangwan blocked rail traffic on

in Mayyar village during which a youth, Sunil Sheoran, died in police firing

March 2011- AIJASS resumed stir at Mayyar which spread to adjoining

districts and 13 railway tracks were blocked by Jats

March, 2012- A youth Sandeep Kadwasra died in police firing during

clashes with the police at Ramyana village

December, 2012- Haryana government accorded special backward status and

10% quota to five castes, including Jats

September, 2013- AIJASS and khaps threatened to resume the stir

March 2, 2014- Jats called off three-year-old agitation after the UPA government announced OBC status to them at the Centre

March 17, 2015- Supreme Court sets aside the notification dated March 4, 2014, granting OBC status to Jats.

March 26, 2015- PM Modi meets delegation of khap panchayats and Jat leaders and supports the quota demand.

July, 2015 – Both factions of Jat samiti and khap panchayat announce their decision to resume the stir.