BJP gives in to Jat quota stir, says will introduce bill on OBC status in next Assembly session

New Delhi: Buckling under pressure from agitating Jats, the BJP on Sunday announced that a bill for giving OBC status to Jats will be brought in the coming Haryana Assembly session and a high-powered committee will be set up to examine the quota demand for the community in central jobs.

BJP general secretary in-charge of Haryana Anil Jail also appealed to the Jats who have been protesting in Haryana to call off their agitation, which has badly hit life in the region, and return to their homes as their demands have been met.

“A bill will be brought in the coming session of the Haryana Assembly for granting OBC status to the Jats in the state,” Jain said after a Jat delegation had an hour-long meeting with Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh.

Haryana is ruled by a BJP government headed by M L Khattar.

Jain said a high-powered committee headed by a senior Union Minister will be set up on Sunday to look into the demand of reservation of jobs in central government for the Jats.

“The composition of the Committee will be announced by the BJP President (Amit Shah),” he said.

Those who attended the meeting with the Home Minister include Jat leaders from Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Delhi besides Minister of State for Agriculture Sanjeev Kumar Balyan, Haryana Minister Abhimanyu, BJP MP and former Mumbai Police Commissioner Satyapal Singh, former Deputy Chief of Army Lt Gen (Retd) Raj Kandyan etc.

After the meeting with the Home Minister, Jat Sangharsh Samiti leader Jaipal Sing Sangwan said the discussion was very positive and he was confident that the community would accept the decisions.

“We appeal to everyone to call off the agitation,” he said.

However, another leader of the Jat Sangharsh Samiti Rajesh Dahiya said a decision on calling off the agitation would be taken by the community later.

Haryana was on the edge on Sunday as fresh incidents of arson and violence shook the state with a ninth town being brought under curfew as the Jat agitation for quota under OBC entered the eighth day so far claiming 10 lives.

The Jat stir also hit Delhi with the Arvind Kejriwal government announcing closure of schools tomorrow as part of water rationing after supply from Haryana was disrupted. The national capital also witnessed massive traffic jams in some parts.

PTI