The Jat leaders, spearheading the agitation for quota in jobs and education at Jantar Mantar in the national capital, today threatened to block the borders of Delhi if their demands are not met by the government.
A march to the Parliament house by the agitators was stopped midway near the Parliament Street police station by the Delhi Police a short while ago.
"We will block Delhi and its borders on March 20 if our demands our not met," Yashpal Malik, president of the Akhil Bhartiya Jat Arakshan Sangharsh Samiti, said today.
Earlier today, the Jat agitation for quota in jobs and education reached Delhi with thousands of community members from the northern states descending at Jantar Mantar here to extend support to the movement in Haryana.
Roads leading to the protest hub were packed with Jat agitators from Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Uttarakhand, Delhi and Punjab, throwing normal traffic out of gear.
Police and traffic personnel were deployed at major roundabouts and roads for managing the protesters reaching the venue.
"Jat Nyay Dharna is being held at Jantar Mantar to seek justice for the community members in Haryana and highlight our quota demand," said Yashpal Malik, president of Akhil Bhartiya Jat Arakshan Sangharsh Samiti spearheading the movement.
“Essential supplies will be affected when march will be held in Delhi in the coming time,” he said.
He further added that the movement will continue till their demands are met, and reiterated that government has to find solutions.
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.
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.
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.
Jats changing stand: Khattar
On Wednesday, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar claimed that the Jat leaders who are spearheading the ongoing agitation were changing their stand and adding new conditions, which could complicate the situation.
“Earlier, the Jat agitators had raised only seven demands. But now their demands have increased to 28 and they are insisting on not holding any dialogue on the earlier demands. They are in the mode of shifting the goal posts and their attitude could make the situation even more complicated,” he said.
He also offered to set up either a legislators' panel or a government one under himself to resolve the agitating Jats' demand for quota in state jobs and educational institutions.
"A committee of Vidhan Sabha could be constituted with the consent of the Speaker or a panel of ministers, including me, could be formed by the government to hold talks with the agitators so that the issue could be resolved at the earliest," Khattar told the State assembly while responding to an adjournment motion on indefinite sit-ins by the Jats at various places in the state.
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