Jat group thanks Haryana CM for SBC quota assurance

The Jat Sangharsh Samiti on Tuesday thanked Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar for assuring Special Backward Class (SBC) status and compensation for those killed during the agitation by the community.

Addressing media persons, the Samiti's national president Shri Ram Kataria said the Jats thank Khattar and the BJP's central leadership for assuring SBC status in the state and inclusion in the Other Backward Classes (OBC) for central government jobs.

The Samiti said it will pay a compensation of Rs.2 lakh each to the kin of people killed during the 10-day agitation.

According to an industry body, the agitation caused losses of more than Rs.20,000 crore.

Jat leaders said they were thankful to Khattar for announcing Rs.10 lakh compensation and a government job for one relative of those killed in the violence.

Samiti general secretary R.S. Dahiya said the community had full faith in Khattar and the BJP's central leaders, but warned that the Jats will go for a bigger agitation if the promises were not delivered upon.

Khattar, while visiting Rohtak on Tuesday, said 19 people were killed in the protests, but how many of them were Jats could not be established immediately.

The Samiti leaders, however, remained silent on why properties belonging to other castes were allegedly targeted.

They said Samiti leaders and volunteers will visit various parts of Haryana from Wednesday and request the people, who are still agitating, to call off the protest.

The Haryana government on February 19 had announced SBC status for Jats in the state but the stir continued. The government has assured of bringing a bill in the upcoming budget session in the assembly.