Rajnath calls up Khattar, takes stock of situation

Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday allayed fears over possible renewal of quota agitation by Jats in Haryana and expressed confidence that a solution will be found soon. Singh called up Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and took stock of the situation.

“I have spoken to the Haryana Chief Minister. There is no need to worry about anything. I am sure a solution will be found soon,” he said.

Meanwhile, Union Minister Birender Singh, who hails from the state, also lent his support to the Jats’ demand for quota, stating that the Haryana government was committed to bring a Bill in this regard.

Bracing for the stir, the state government has deployed paramilitary forces and police in sensitive districts, who carried out flag marches in various places. The Centre has sent 8,000 paramilitary personnel to the state, who have been deployed in sensitive areas like Rohtak and Jhajjar – which were the worst-hit during the agitation last month.

Singh, who came here to watch the proceedings of the state Assembly, noted that the Khattar government was working for a positive solution to the issue. “The state government is in touch with various organisations and Jat leaders and soon a positive result will come out,” the Union Rural Development Minister, a prominent Jat leader from the state, said.

On being asked about Jat leaders’ call to resume their stir, if their demands were not met, he said, “Kisi ki baat sunee na jayee, toh ultimatum say he sunee jatee hein (if one’s voice is not heard, then it is heard through ultimatum),” he said.

Various Jat bodies had given a deadline of 72 hours on Monday threatening to resume their quota agitation if their demands were not met by the Khattar government. The deadline ended on Thursday, following which the state government invited Jat leaders for talks.

Jats are demanding 10 per cent quota in jobs and educational institutions, besides withdrawal of FIRs registered against the protesters and compensation to those killed during the agitation.

Quota demands