State Congress chief Capt Amarinder Singh, who is also president of the All-India Jat Mahasabha, today said the Jat body had been demanding reservation only for economically weaker sections among the community.
The former Chief Minister said those having less than 4 acres should be extended reservation and not the creamy layer.
“There are farmers who own even less than one acre and find it hard to make both ends meet. The mahasabha has been seeking reservation within the OBC category for such people. The same applies to Punjab,” he said.
“We can’t afford to ignore the problem which needs to be recognised and solved,” he said, while pointing out how the demand for reservation by other castes such as the Gujjars in Rajasthan and the Patels in Gujarat and now the Jats in Haryana were growing day by day.
“The time has come that the benefits of reservation should be extended to economically weaker sections among the general categories, besides those already getting it,” he said.
At the same time, the PPCCpresident clarified, “this does not mean financial status should be the only criterion for the reservation as social and caste backwardness cannot be overlooked”.
The former Chief Minister said those having less than 4 acres should be extended reservation and not the creamy layer.
“There are farmers who own even less than one acre and find it hard to make both ends meet. The mahasabha has been seeking reservation within the OBC category for such people. The same applies to Punjab,” he said.
“We can’t afford to ignore the problem which needs to be recognised and solved,” he said, while pointing out how the demand for reservation by other castes such as the Gujjars in Rajasthan and the Patels in Gujarat and now the Jats in Haryana were growing day by day.
“The time has come that the benefits of reservation should be extended to economically weaker sections among the general categories, besides those already getting it,” he said.
At the same time, the PPCCpresident clarified, “this does not mean financial status should be the only criterion for the reservation as social and caste backwardness cannot be overlooked”.
