Jat Protests Weakened as BJP Leaders Appeal to Khap Panchayats

Central government leaders appealed to the Haryana Khap panchayats to not support the agitations called by the JSS.

Jats stage a demonstration against to press for their demands in Rohtak on Tuesday, 7 June 2016. (Photo: IANS)

The fresh wave of Jat protests, which started on 5 June, has been relatively lukewarm in intensity over its first two days in Delhi and Haryana, neither attracting large crowds nor any road blocks. The senior leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Haryana and central leaders are believed to be the reason behind the diluted protests, reports Livemint.

The central leadership has been asking Khap panchayats to not support the agitation called by the Jat Sangharsh Samiti (JSS).

Although party leaders are, in fact, supporting the reservation demand made by the Jat community, the government is appealing to the local leaders to avoid incidents similar to the February 2016 agitation when 30 people were killed.

Also read: Jat Agitation: More Than 100 Check Posts Set Up Around Haryana

This video was published when the Jat agitation was at its peak in February.

There was a deliberate effort by the state government and central leaders not to let this agitation get out of control and become a law and order problem. We have managed to divide the various community-based panchayats and have tried to convince them that they should not support such efforts which not only lead to violence but also bring a bad name to the state.

Senior Haryana BJP Leader

However, JSS plans to hold similar protests in Rajasthan, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh. The group has planned protests in 61 places in Uttar Pradesh on 8 June.

Punjab, Uttarkhand, and Uttar Pradesh will go to vote in 2017 along with Goa and Manipur, keeping the political parties on their toes.