New Delhi, Mar 2: Agitating Jats in Haryana on Thursday begin descending at Jantar Mantar in Delhi in support of their various demands, including reservations in government jobs and educational institutes for the community.
Roads leading to the protest hub were packed with Jat agitators from Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Uttarakhand, Delhi, and Punjab, giving a tough time to motorists and commuters.
Police and traffic personnel were deployed at major roundabouts and roads for managing the protesters reaching the venue.
Due to the protest, Sansad Marg was closed for traffic. The vehicular movement was slow on NH24, Delhi-Agra highway, NH-1, CP, and ITO.
Also, roads connecting Delhi to NCR, and those around Ashoka Road were marred with jams.
Yashpal Malik, the president of the All-India Jat Aarakshan Sangharsh Samiti (AIJASS), which is spearheading the protest, said: “Jat Nyay Dharna is being held at Jantar Mantar to seek justice for the community members in Haryana and highlight our quota demand.”
The community members will submit a memorandum on the quota issue to the President and the Prime Minister and take out a march to Parliament, he said.
"We will also announce the date of our march in Delhi in which 50 lakh Jats from 13 states will participate with their tractor-trollies. It will be a historic moment. Our protest will continue until our demands are fulfilled," he added.
Malik further lashed out at Manohar Lal Khattar-led BJP government in Haryana for showing insensitivity towards their demands.
"It is for the government to find a solution before or after the Holi. But seeing the insensitivity of the Haryana Government, it looks like we have to prepare for a long fight," he added.
On Wednesday, Malik had said that the protesters have started non-cooperation with the government and will not pay electricity and water bills and also the instalment of loans that they owe to the government.
Besides seeking quota in education and government jobs under the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category, Jats are demanding the release of those jailed during last year's stir, withdrawal of cases slapped during the protest and government jobs for the kin of those killed and injured while taking part in the agitation.
The Jat agitation resumed on January 29.
As many as 30 people were killed and property worth crores was damaged at many places in Haryana during last year's violent Jat stir.
Rohtak and some of its neighbouring districts, including Sonipat and Jhajjar, were the worst hit by the violence.
Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Wednesday told the Assembly that Haryana had enacted "The Haryana Backward Classes (Reservation in Services and Admission in Educational Institutions) Act, 2016”, providing reservation to members of the Jat, Ror, Bishnoi, Jat Sikh, Muila Jat/Muslim Jat and Tyagi communities in May 2016.
The Act was, however, challenged in the Punjab and Haryana High Court which stayed its implementation.
He said cases registered against agitators involved in violence during the Jat agitation in February 2016 were under High Court scrutiny and his government could not withdraw these.
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