Jats call off quota agitation after leaders meet Haryana CM

Delhi was virtually on tenterhooks following protesters' threat to block entry points. AFP Photo (File)

NEW DELHI: Jats on Sunday called off their quota agitation scheduled for tomorrow in the national capital, following a truce that was reached after a meeting between the leaders of the community and the Haryana government. Jat leaders decided to call off their agitation after a marathon four-hour meeting with Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and two Union Ministers Birender Singh and P P Chaudhary who both are Jats. "Centre and state will soon begin the process of giving reservation, following the Delhi High court order," Khattar told reporters in a joint press conference along with All India Jat Aarakshan Sangharsh Samiti (AIJASS) Chairperson Yashpal Malik. He also appealed to people in the state to cooperate in maintaining peace and harmony. "Ab Jat Dilli na aa rahe (Now Jats are not coming to Delhi). We have called off our agitation and march towards Delhi. The state government has agreed to our demands," Malik told reporters after the meeting. He added that the community will call off its dharna from most of the places in the state, barring few where it will continue with symbolic protests. Besides quotas, the Jats have been demanding release of people jailed during last year's agitation, withdrawal of cases slapped during the protests and government jobs for the kin of those killed and injured while taking part in the stir. The Jats have been sitting on dharna in various parts of Haryana since January 29. "The government will now work according to the law and will undertake a survey and check ground realities so that the decision that we finally take will stand in court," P P Chaudhary," Minister of State for Law and Justice said. He added, "The reservation process will expedite after appointment of National Commission of Backward Classes (NCBC) chairperson and we want to ensure reservation for the community which is not stuck anywhere due to legal issues". A Haryana ministerial panel led by senior Minister Ram Bilas Sharma had held talks with the Jats in Panipat on March 16, after which the minister had said that an agreement had been reached with the community and the deadlock could end soon. Around 30 people were killed and more than 300 people injured when a similar agitation by the Jats had resulted in large-scale violence in Haryana in February last year. In view of the planned march tomorrow, prohibitory orders had been clamped in Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan to stop the Jat protesters from entering Delhi. About 24,700 paramilitary personnel had been mobilised to maintain peace. Metro and road transport has been curtailed and several schools have been closed in the national capital.