Jats block rail tracks, highway in Haryana over quota

Jat protesters on Monday blocked railway tracks and a national highway in Haryana's Rohtak district to pressurise the Haryana government to announce reservation for the community under the OBC category.

Railway tracks and national highway-10 (NH-10) were blocked in Sampla town, 25 km from here.

Road traffic had to be diverted by police and the district authorities, as people travelling by road and on trains had to face harassment due to the blockade.

The agitation by a section of the Jat community resumed on Monday, just a day after the All-India Jat Aarakshan Sangharsh Samiti (AIJASS) announced on Sunday that it was ending its agitation. The AIJASS agitation was taking place since Friday in Mayar village of Hisar district.

The Jat community is demanding reservation in government jobs and educational institutes under the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category.

Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar told the media on Monday that the four-member committee constituted by the state government on the issue of reservation being demanded by the Jats would submit its report by March 31 this year.

"The government would take action on the basis of the report of the committee headed by the chief secretary. The committee was constituted after consultation with all concerned and it would submit its report after considering all aspects concerning the central and state governments, law and decisions of the judiciary," Khattar said.

The AIJASS had on Sunday announced ending its agitation for reservation after meetings with Haryana's Agriculture Minister O.P. Dhankar at Hansi town in Hisar district late on Saturday.

The Jat community had been squatting on the railway track at Mayar village in Hisar district, 250 km from here, since Friday.

Dhankar assured the Jat leadership that the community will get reservation under the OBC category in Haryana if the Centre gave it to the community in nine other states where the Jat community is present.