Jats threaten to block Delhi's entry points

The Jat community in Haryana has threatened to block all entry points into Delhi next February if their demand for reservations for the community is not met by the central government by Dec 23.

The decision was taken at a Sarva Jat Khap Mahapanchayat held here, 170 km from Chandigarh, Wednesday.

The mahapanchayat announced that if the Jats are not given the status of Other Backward Class (OBC), they will block all five entry points to Delhi. They said the Jats would oppose Congress party candidates in the polls.

They also demanded immediate amendment in the Hindu Marriage Act in order to check honour killings and other crime against women in the state. The khaps, which are opposed to marriages within the same gotra, community and village, said that an amendment is needed in the Act.

Representatives of nearly 100 khaps attended the meeting, which was chaired by Khap leader Nafe Singh Nain.

The meeting made it clear that the khap panchayats had never pronounced any verdict of honour killing and had not provoked anyone to be a part of the heinous crime.