Quota for Jat Sikhs?

THOUGH Jats in Haryana and Rajasthan have held noisy protests to demand reservations in Central government jobs and educational institutions, Punjab Jat Sikhs have not yet even given a serious thought to the issue. Engaged largely in agriculture but perturbed at declining incomes, they focus more on farmers’ issues to improve their lot. Some may even take offence at being clubbed with “other backward classes”. They take pride in calling themselves progressive and forward looking.

A Congress delegation, including Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda and Leader of Opposition in Punjab Sunil Jakhar, met Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram on Tuesday to take up the demands of this socially and culturally disparate group. A well-meaning Sunil Jakhar stressed that if the Jats were included in the OBC quota, then Jat Sikhs of Punjab should not be left out. It is true many Jats occupy top posts in Central and state services. Most of the present and previous chief ministers of Punjab and Haryana are Jats. It may, therefore, be hard for non-Jats to swallow that the members of the socially and economically dominating community should be dubbed “backward” and given concessions meant for the poor.
The Jat demand for quota is rooted in economic backwardness. In recent years incomes have not matched expectations. The Jats are socially dominant but a large majority of those who depend entirely on agriculture have got left behind. Those who excelled in education, acquired right skills, moved to cities for work and took up small businesses or jobs have improved their lifestyles. To keep up with rising living standards around them, farmers take costly loans, buy vehicles they can do without and perform lavish social ceremonies, which all ultimately ruin them. In reservations they see a chance to catch up with others. The uneven spread of fruits of growth has raised social tensions and the Jat agitation is an obvious manifestation. The government should address the root cause, which is low agricultural productivity and growth. In any case, only the economic status of a community should be the basis for reservation