Jat body claims 'political conspiracy' to defame community

Alleging a "political conspiracy" to defame Jats over the quota agitation in Haryana, an outfit today sought to distance the community from the widespread violence in the state and demanded a Supreme Court judge-headed probe into the matter.
Speaking to reporters here, members of Vishwa Jat Chetna Manch also questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "silence" over their demand and attacked Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar for "selectively removing Jat officials" from the administration.
The Manch claimed a BJP MP is "directly responsible" for "instigating people over the agitation" and demanded he be booked for "treachery".
"Our people were protesting peacefully. We oppose violence. Those who have defamed us should be acted against. It needs to be probed if people from the community were instigated after somebody's speech.

"...This is a political conspiracy," Manch founder Omvir Singh said.
Singh said the community members were "selectively" targeted by damaging their properties and claimed the outfit has video clippings to back its claim and insisted the matter be investigated by a SC judge.

He accused the Khattar government of following a policy to remove Jat officers from the state's administration.
"Ever since this government has been formed, they selectively removed 90 per cent of the Jat officials following a policy. They wanted to give a message that they can run government and play politics without Jats," he claimed.
Singh, accompanied by other members of the outfit at the briefing, attacked the Prime Minister too, saying he responded quickly to other issues but is "tight-lipped" over the Jat reservation issue.

"He could have looked at Jat with affection," Singh said.
The Manch founder questioned "silence" of Jat MPs too and said the organisation will put pressure on them to raise their voice as "so many" people have been killed in the agitation.
Jats will continue to protest peacefully until demand for reservation is met, he added.