Haryana Cabinet approves Jat reservation

Ahead of the March 31 deadline set by Jat leaders, the Haryana Cabinet on Monday approved a bill providing them and four other castes reservation in education and government jobs. 

Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Monday assured the Assembly that the government will introduce the bill in the coming days before the budget session ends. 

Following a meeting with the government last week, representatives of Jat community, who had threatened to restart the agitation, had decided to put off the stir following an assurance. They said they would announce the next action plan on April 3 in case the government failed to pass the reservation bill. 

Jat leaders have been insisting on a legally tenable bill that would sustain judicial scrutiny, unlike the last time when the apex court struck down the government notification in this regard. It



now remains to be seen whether or not Jat leaders express satisfaction to the bill being introduced by the government. 

Sources said the cabinet decided to give reservation to Jats under a newly created category classification for backward classes (BC-3). 

There is already 27% reservation in government jobs for backward classes in two categories, BC-1 and BC-2. The four other castes to benefit from the bill are Jat Sikhs, Bishnois, Tyagis and Rors.

The backward classes quota is divided into two categories — BC-A and BC-B — having 16% and 11% reservation, respectively. The government also plans to provide 10% reservation in educational institutions and Class-III and IV government jobs for these communities. 

The recent Jat stir that turned violent had led to the death of 30 lives. At least 320 people were injured.