Man behind stir: UP builder
Navneet Sharma, Hindustan Times
Chandigarh, September 15, 2010First Published: 00:39 IST(15/9/2010)
Last Updated: 00:41 IST(15/9/2010)
Violent protests by the Jats of Haryana, who are demanding reservation
in jobs and education, entered the second day on Tuesday. But few,
including most protestors, know much about Yashpal Malik, the man
leading the agitation. Once a property developer, Malik is now
national president of the All-India Jat Arakshan Samiti (AIJAS), which
is at the forefront of the quota stir. His outfit wants Jats to be
recognised as one of the Other Backward Castes (OBCs), so they too can
benefit from reservation across the country.
Malik, who hails from Muzzafarnagar in Uttar Pradesh and made it big
in the real estate business in Ghaziabad and adjoining areas, led
talks with a state government delegation to end the standoff triggered
by the death of a youth allegedly in police firing in Hisar district
on Monday.
"There is hardly anyone who knew him or had even heard about him here
before this. I also met him for the first time today," a Congress
leader, who was one of the negotiators, said.
The negotiations were held by Malik and some local leaders with the
state team comprising Haryana chief minister's political adviser Prof
Virender and former ministers Sampat Singh and Jai Prakash.
Malik told HT that AIJAS had planned peaceful demonstrations at 62
places in about a dozen states on Monday.
But the police, led by the local SP, started firing indiscriminately
at the protestors. One person was killed and the protest turned
violent.
"We ended the dharna after the government decided to take action
against the policemen and accepted all our 13 demands, including
declaring the youth killed in police firing a martyr. However, our
nationwide stir for OBC status will continue. There will be let up in
it," he said.
AIJAS had earlier threatened to disrupt the Commonwealth Games, to be
staged in Delhi during October, if their OBC status demand is not met.
The caste-based outfit is a breakaway group of All India Jat
Mahasabha, which is headed by wrestler and former MP Dara Singh.
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