NEW DELHI: Congress has stepped up efforts to provide reservation to jats, a move seen as a signaling exercise in the wake of resentment among the community following the Muzaffarnagar riots.
The group of ministers (GoM) formed to look into the issue of inclusion of jats in the central OBC list is likely to meet again to finalize its recommendation that would be sent to the Union Cabinet. The fate of the demand, however, will be decided by the NationalCommission for Backward Classes (NCBC).
The urgency on the jat issue is widely seen as an attempt to win over the community. While the jats are said to be ranged against the Congress in poll-bound Rajasthan because of chief minister Ashok Gehlot's anti-jat image, there is fear that the community in western UP could veer towards BJP in the wake of Muzaffarnagar riots. There is also a concern of the community's consolidation behind INLD in Haryana.
The perception of the community being let down by the Congress and the 'secular' bloc seems to be playing on the minds of the ruling party. Though the jats of Rajasthan are already in the central OBC list and entitled to job and education quota, the move to show a willingness to declare the community across states as backward is aimed to suggest the government is sympathetic to them.
Besides the concern on quota issue seeking to woo the community in Rajasthan, it is seen as a step towards mollifying the jats in western UP who are threatening to move away from "secular" parties after the riots.
The biggest imponderable in jat politics is if Om Prakash Chautala's INLD would align with BJP in Haryana for Lok Sabha polls. A tie-up could provide a strong opposition to the ruling Congress in Haryana where the party swept the 2009 Lok Sabha polls while also winning consecutive assembly polls.
Given the challenge, the Centre has stepped on the gas to clinch the pending issue of putting jats in the central OBC list. The GoM is likely to finalize its recommendation for the Union Cabinet which would consider the steps to be taken on how the demand should be treated.
The PM had written to the ministerial panel to decide the issue fast while also asking if anything other than a fresh survey to determine the backwardness of jats could be considered.
The NCBC has decided to order a survey across states to determine if the criteria of backwardness is satisfied by the community's socio-economic status.
Courtesy: TOI
The group of ministers (GoM) formed to look into the issue of inclusion of jats in the central OBC list is likely to meet again to finalize its recommendation that would be sent to the Union Cabinet. The fate of the demand, however, will be decided by the NationalCommission for Backward Classes (NCBC).
The urgency on the jat issue is widely seen as an attempt to win over the community. While the jats are said to be ranged against the Congress in poll-bound Rajasthan because of chief minister Ashok Gehlot's anti-jat image, there is fear that the community in western UP could veer towards BJP in the wake of Muzaffarnagar riots. There is also a concern of the community's consolidation behind INLD in Haryana.
The perception of the community being let down by the Congress and the 'secular' bloc seems to be playing on the minds of the ruling party. Though the jats of Rajasthan are already in the central OBC list and entitled to job and education quota, the move to show a willingness to declare the community across states as backward is aimed to suggest the government is sympathetic to them.
Besides the concern on quota issue seeking to woo the community in Rajasthan, it is seen as a step towards mollifying the jats in western UP who are threatening to move away from "secular" parties after the riots.
The biggest imponderable in jat politics is if Om Prakash Chautala's INLD would align with BJP in Haryana for Lok Sabha polls. A tie-up could provide a strong opposition to the ruling Congress in Haryana where the party swept the 2009 Lok Sabha polls while also winning consecutive assembly polls.
Given the challenge, the Centre has stepped on the gas to clinch the pending issue of putting jats in the central OBC list. The GoM is likely to finalize its recommendation for the Union Cabinet which would consider the steps to be taken on how the demand should be treated.
The PM had written to the ministerial panel to decide the issue fast while also asking if anything other than a fresh survey to determine the backwardness of jats could be considered.
The NCBC has decided to order a survey across states to determine if the criteria of backwardness is satisfied by the community's socio-economic status.
Courtesy: TOI
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