Narendra Modi government explores ways to get back Jats into OBC list

NEW DELHI: The Centre has begun exploration to revive the case for granting Other Backward Caste status for the Jat community, the most politically-organised farming community that have a say in several north Indian states.

The SC had recently struck down the erstwhile Congress-led UPA regime’s election-eve decision to confer OBC status on the community as the court felt that Jats were economically and politically empowered.

Even though the Centre is set to file a review petition in the Supreme Court, there are indications that it was looking beyond a legal course. It may ask the OBC Commission to do a fresh review of the economic and social status of the Jat community to build a fresh case for reservations.

BJP is keen to ensure that the Jat community continues to vote for it in Haryana, Rajasthan and Punjab. This must be seen in the backdrop of Congress trying to make the land acquisition bill and farm crisis a major issue.

Ever since the Supreme Court struck down the quota, many prominent Jat leaders from BJP have been lobbying with the PM and FM to find ways to restore the OBC quota for the community. Experiences show review petitions seldom succeed. While striking down the order, SC had said that the executive decision went against the earlier OBC Commissions’ findings.