Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convenor and former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has intensified his demand for including the Jat community from Delhi in the Centre’s Other Backward Classes (OBC) list. Addressing a press conference on Thursday, Kejriwal accused the Central government of misleading the community and failing to fulfil its decade-old promises.
Unfulfilled Promises and Disparity in Reservations
Kejriwal questioned why Jat students from Rajasthan benefit from reservations at Delhi University (DU) while their counterparts from Delhi are excluded.
“Thousands of children from Delhi’s Jat community are unable to secure admission in DU because they are not part of the Central OBC list,” he said, adding that this disparity deprives Delhi’s Jat youth of opportunities in education and employment at Central institutions.
The AAP leader accused the BJP-led Central government of breaking its promises to the Jat community.
“In 2015, Jat leaders were invited to the prime minister’s residence and assured inclusion in the Central OBC list. Union Home Minister Amit Shah reiterated the same promise in 2019. However, no action has been taken so far,” Kejriwal alleged.
Impact on Employment and Education Opportunities
The AAP chief emphasized that including Delhi Jats in the Central OBC list would open up substantial opportunities in institutions such as DU and in Central government jobs.
“Central agencies like the MCD, DDA, and PWD operate extensively in Delhi. Inclusion in the OBC list would ensure equitable access for Jats in these sectors,” Kejriwal said.
Kejriwal also pointed out that the Jat community in Delhi is already recognized under the OBC category at the state level. However, the lack of recognition at the Central level denies them significant benefits, including reservations in Central government jobs and college admissions.
“This is nothing but betrayal. The Centre must include Delhi’s Jats in the OBC list to ensure equal opportunities,” he asserted.
BJP leader Kailash Gahlot dismissed Kejriwal’s demands, accusing him of political opportunism.
“I want to ask Arvind Kejriwal why he is suddenly worried about Jats? He didn’t care about them in the last 10 years. Now, facing a tough election, he remembers them,” Gahlot said.
A Central Issue in Upcoming Elections
The controversy comes just weeks ahead of the Delhi assembly elections, scheduled for February 5, with vote counting on February 8. The elections are expected to be a heated contest, with Kejriwal’s AAP and the BJP locking horns over critical voter issues, including reservations, women’s safety, air pollution, and infrastructure development.
Labeling the situation as a betrayal, Kejriwal urged the Central government to take immediate steps to include Delhi’s Jats in the Central OBC list.
“The Jat community has waited long enough. It’s time for the Centre to deliver on its promises and ensure justice for Delhi’s Jat population,” Kejriwal concluded.
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