Quota stir: Haryana Jats threaten to block roads to Delhi on March 20, cut milk supply

New Delhi: Haryana Jat leaders on Thursday threatened to block roads and cut off supply of essential commodities, including milk, to Delhi if their demands are not met.

Protesters, who are demanding quotas in jobs and education, have threatened to intensify their stir after the Holi, the Hindustan Times reported.

President of All India Jat Aarakshan Sangharsh Samiti (AIJASS) Yashpal Malik said five million Jats will return to Delhi on March 20 with their tractors and cattle to intensify their demonstration.

“We will not pay our water and electricity bills. We will not supply milk to private people for a day to observe as a token protest.

“We have stopped supplying milk to government plants and agencies. We have started our ‘non-cooperative’ movement in Haryana,” the report quoted Malik as saying at Mantar Jantar today.

The Jat movement will spread across north India soon, he said, adding, “We have come to Delhi with determination and we will march towards the parliament.”

Some 5,000 Jat protesters assembled at the Jantar Mantar Malik on Thursday to press for their demands.

Besides demanding reservations in Central government, Jats also want to be declared an OBC community.

Jat protestors from Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Uttarakhand, Delhi and Punjab participated in the day-long demonstration in central Delhi. Police and traffic personnel were deployed at major roundabouts and roads to manage traffic as well as the protesters.

The Jat leaders were later expected to submit a memorandum to President Pranab Mukherjee.

“We have seven demands and the government should fulfil them. We want reservations for our community in jobs and education institutions. Haryana government should immediately withdraw pending cases against our people.

“Others who were injured during previous protest should be given compensation and the government should give a job to a family member of the deceased,” the report quoted Malik as saying.

Last year, Jat protests in Haryana had turned violent after the members of the community clashed with police and vandalised shops and vehicles, leading to the deaths of several people.