Haryana awaiting court order on Jat reservation: Minister

The BJP government in Haryana is in favour of extending reservation in jobs and educational institutions to the Jats and was awaiting adjudication by the Punjab and Haryana High Court on the matter, a senior minister said on Thursday.

"If the high court delivers a favourable verdict on extending reservation, as demanded by the Jat protesters, the state government will, without delay, write to the Centre to include the relevant law provision in the 9th Schedule of the Constitution," Haryana Finance Minister Abhimanyu said while expressing the government's faith in the judicial system.

Appealing for peace and harmony in Haryana, he said the law to grant reservation to the Jats and other communities was passed unanimously by the assembly.

"I am hopeful the case presented by the state government in the High Court in the last 11 months will yield positive results. A renowned lawyer is presenting the government's case," he added.

Abhimanyu accused the earlier Congress government in Haryana of half-baked actions on the issue due to which, he said, the case was dismissed by the Supreme Court.

The Jats have resumed their stir across Haryana since January 29 to demand reservation, jobs to next of kin of those killed in violence last year, withdrawal of cases against them and action against officers who ordered action against the protesters.

Violence during the Jat agitation in February last year left 30 people dead and over 200 injured. Government and private property worth hundreds of crores was also damaged during the violence.

--IANS

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