Jat organisations in Haryana gave an ultimatum to the government today — withdraw the cases registered against members of their community for the recent agitation and approve the reservation under OBC quota for Jats, or face another round of protests starting Friday.
According to reports, the protesters will submit memorandums to the respective Deputy Commissioners in each district today, giving them a three-day deadline to accept their demands.
“This time, the agitation will be far more intense. We will take it to villages. While we will submit memorandums to Deputy Commissioners tomorrow, the government has time till 18 March after which we will take to the roads again. We have warned the committee about our intentions,” a Jat leader told The Tribune, adding that they were ready for a 'do-or-die' battle.
“We have not heard anything from the MHA yet,” PK Das, additional chief secretary (home) told Indian Express. “We are closely monitoring the situation. The paramilitary shall be deployed in all the districts that were affected during Jat agitation last month,” he added.
Meanwhile, a traders' body has claimed that the Haryana government has assured it of providing full compensation within one month to owners of shops and commercial establishments whose properties were damaged by protestors during the pro-quota Jat agitation last month.
Businessmen who had suffered massive financial loss during the agitation were upset with Khattar government for initial compensation which they had described as "insufficient".
Traders had also threatened to observe a state wide bandh on 17 March.
Last month, the people of Jat community in Haryana had held a series of protests across North India, especially Haryana.
The protesters sought inclusion of their caste in the Other Backward Class (OBC) category, which would make them eligible for affirmative action benefits.
The protests had turned violent as the agitators blocked railway lines, roads even the water supply to New Delhi.
Over 30 people were killed and the agitation cost a loss of ₹34,000 crore to North India.
(With inputs from PTI)
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