Upcoming Jat Protests Likely To Have Political Consequences

The Jat agitation is set to begin from 29 January. And like before, the Jat community continues to be divided on the matter of protests. Even as one group, led by Yashpal Malik, will flag the protests in Haryana districts this Sunday, another group, led by the state leader Hawa Singh Sangwan, thinks this would be an “inappropriate time” for agitation.

Sangwan argues that the matter of Jat quota is currently in the court, and protesting now would translate to disrespecting the court. Malik, however, believes that this is the government line. “Only those who are puppets of the government are opposing us,” he says.

Politically, the Congress and Indian National Lok Dal have declared their support for the upcoming Jat agitation, if it takes place. What’s notable here is that western Uttar Pradesh goes to vote on 11 February. Since this part of the state has a significant concentration of Jats, the decision to either support or oppose the agitation is bound to have political consequences.