Jats remain defiant, trains affected in parts of Haryana

Leaders of the Jat community in Haryana and their supporters remained defiant Tuesday, saying they would intensify their agitation for job quotas in Haryana from Wednesday and also extend it to other states.

Train services were affected in Hisar, Bhiwani and Rewari districts of the state as railway authorities cancelled some trains and terminated others as Jat protesters continued to block the railway track at Mayyar village in this district for the second consecutive day.

Jat Aarakshan Samiti president Yashpal Malik said that the state and central governments were not giving any firm commitment to the Jat community regarding reservation in government jobs to the community under the other backward castes (OBC) quota.

The talks between the protesting Jat leaders and the Haryana government, which were upgraded to a minister level after talks with district authorities failed Monday. Cabinet minister Randeep Singh Surjewala represented the state government in the talks Tuesday.

After the meeting, Jat leaders said that the talks had failed.

“We will intensify the agitation and extend it to other states tomorrow (Wednesday). The government is playing delaying tactics with us and we will not accept fake assurances now,” Malik said.

Surjewala said that the state government was ready to listen to the Jat leadership on their demands. He said that talks could resume again.