Agitating Jats ask Govt. to release their leaders

Hisar/Chandigarh, Mar 8 (ANI): The Jat community, which has been holding protests for the last few weeks demanding reservation in government jobs and educational institutions under the Other Backward Class (OBC) category, on Thursday asked the government to release their leaders.

"Our first demand is that our leaders should be set free. The talks with the government will be possible only after our leaders are set free because it has now become a movement of the common man," said Suresh Koth, a Jat protestor.

Koth further said several rounds of discussions with the government have failed, as the points put forward by the Jat leaders have not been given due importance.

"We are sitting here from the 19th of last month in a very peaceful manner demanding for our reservation. We had several rounds of discussion with the government, but the government did not give importance to any of our talks. Moreover, the government also arrested a few of our leaders. Our people were sitting quietly here, but the security forces picked them up and took our belongings," he said.

Meanwhile, another protestor, Purushotam Sharma, echoing similar sentiments, said the agitation over the reservation row is taking place only because of the delay from the government side.

"This has been going on from 2010 on the Jat reservation issue. Hooda sahab (Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda) earlier told us that he will forward our report. But when there was a talk again for the second time, he told us that reservation will be provided as per the report of the commission," said Sharma.

"So, because of the delay on the issue, the Jats staged a protest. One Jat died in police firing and others got injured," he added.

Security personnel marched in different areas of Hisar on Wednesday following the death of one person in an incident of violence.

Personnel of the Rapid Action Force (RAF) and police were deployed in the city, wherein protestors were warned to refrain from indulging in incidents of violence.

"We have requested for the deployment of Army personnel for the aide of district administration. The moment the Army arrives we would undertake a flag march, and I would like to use the media as a medium to warn that nobody should try to take the law in their hands," said Amit Kumar, Deputy Commissioner of Police.

"We would strict action against them, I appeal the people to maintain peace and order. Everything can be solved through dialogue," he added.

Clashes broke out between police personnel and villagers of the Jat community in Hisar district on Wednesday as the police tried to withdraw protestors who were blocking railway tracks and national highway to demand reservation.

Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda has asked the protestors to wait for the commission's report.

"As per the conversation with them, we asked them to wait until the report of the commission arrives, they agreed. They further said that many cases have been filed in innocent people, following we asked then to provide us the information on all such persons, we will get it re-examined," said Hooda.

"We would see to it that the innocent is not punished. They also nodded on waiting for the commission's report, and the same was conveyed later by them to the people," he added. (ANI)