Jats up in arms against BJP MP for anti-quota remarks

Parvesh Sharma

Tribune News Service

Jind, March 29

Miffed at the opposition of Kurukshetra MP Rajkumar Saini to Jat reservation, Haryana Jat leaders today announced to stage a protest in front of his residence if he does not withdraw his “anti-Jat reservation” remarks.

The MP had yesterday raised strong objections to Jat reservation and had also threatened to resign if there was any loss to reservation quota to the OBCs.

Sarv Jat Khap Panchayat (SJKP) leaders announced here today that they had decided to write to PM Narendra Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah to clarify their stand of the party on the issue.

“Saini has been trying to divide Haryana on caste lines, which is highly condemnable. We have never opposed any reservation to any caste. We have been demanding our right and will write to PM and Amit Shah to take disciplinary action against Saini,” said Nafe Singh Nain, national president of the SJKP, at his native Danaunda village.

He said they would launch a national-level protest from New Delhi on May 11 if the Centre failed to show seriousness in the matter.

“We have never spoken against any community and will not tolerate any remark against ours,” said Nain.

Saini, when contacted over the phone, said” “I have not spoken anything wrong and it’s a fact that Jats are very influential. They have good financial resources and there is no need for reservation to them.”

“If Jats will launch a protest against me, OBC members will start counter-protests against them. To save reservation for the real OBCs, we can also start an agitation,” said Saini, who maintained he had been fighting for quota for real beneficiaries and did not care about any threat of the protest.

After a meeting here at Jat Dharmshala, Tek Ram Kandela, convener of the SJKP, said they would launch an indefinite stir in front of MP’s house in Kurukshetra.

Saini should think before speaking, says Dahiya

Kurukshetra: Santosh Dahiya, president of the women’s wing of the Sarv Jat Sarv Khap Mahapanchayat, criticised Rajkumar Saini for his remarks against the Jat community. “Creating controversies has become his habit and one must not give much weightage to whatever he says,” she said.

BJP leaders should toe party line: Dhankar

Bhiwani: After the assurance given by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and party president Amit Shah to a Jat delegation regarding the OBC quota, it has become clear that the party wants to safeguard the interest of the community, Agriculture Minister OP Dhankar told the media here today.

On Saini’s remarks, the minister, without naming the MP, said BJP leaders striking a dissent chord should toe party line.

Punch and counter-punch

Rajkumar Saini  has been trying to divide Haryana on caste lines, which is highly condemnable. We have never opposed reservation to any caste. We have been demanding our right and will write to PM and Amit Shah to take disciplinary action against Saini.
—Nafe Singh Nain, national chief, sarv jat khap panchayat 

I have not spoken anything wrong. It’s a fact that Jats are very influential. They have good financial resources and there is no need for reservation to them. If Jats will protest against me, OBC members will start counter-protests against them.
—Rajkumar Saini, Kurukshetra MP