Can't talk to mob, Jats should form committee: Anil Vij

Chandigarh, Feb 21: With violent protests by Jats demanding quota continuing, Haryana Minister Anil Vij today made it clear that talks cannot be held with a "mob" and said Jats should form a committee to hold parleys with the state government.

He said the agitation has become leaderless and "mobocracy" was prevailing.

"At the moment, the ongoing agitation has become leaderless. It is like mobocracy (rule of the mob). The Jats should immediately form a Committee to hold talks with the government. We cannot hold talks with the mob," the Minister said.

Jats have been demanding reservation under OBC quota in jobs and in educational institutions. They recently rejected the Special Backward Class quota offered by the Khattar government. Vij said the BJP Government was committed to granting OBC quota to Jats.

"Our government, be it in the State or at the Centre, is committed to give OBC reservation to Jats, but it is for the Jats to decide whether they want to give us time so that we can come out with something concrete which later does not get struck down by the courts," Vij told PTI.

He said the previous Congress government headed by Bhupinder Singh Hooda had included Jats and four other castes in Special Backward Class (SBC) quota.

"But later on the same got rejected in courts," he pointed out.

"Therefore, we do not want to do something in a hurry just to please anyone. Those agitating have to understand that we are committed to give them reservation. We have to ensure that when we offer them something, the next day it should not get struck down by courts," he said.

Vij said Jat leaders should come forward for talks with the government "since solution to any problem can be found with dialogue".

"The Jat leaders should appeal to those who are agitating to call off the stir. Nobody stands to gain from what we are witnessing, which is violence and damage to public and private property," he added.

Vij, the five-time MLA from Ambala Cantt, also alleged that there were some vested forces who were flaring up the agitation.

"There are some vested forces who are behind flaring up and inflaming the passions of the agitators. The government's first priority is to restore normalcy after which we will definitely expose such forces," he said.

PTI