Protesting Jats in Haryana today got support from Uttar Pardesh's Desh khap (caste council) over their demands for reservations in government jobs and educational institutes for the community.
The protesters, however, announced to intensify their "struggle" from tomorrow in favour of their demands even as their agitation continued peacefully for the 31st day in deferent parts of the state.
Yashpal Malik, the president of the All-India Jat Aarakshan Sangharsh Samiti (AIJASS), which is spearheading the protest, said, "Besides Desh khap, the people from Baraut and Bagpath in UP have also announced their support to the agitation going on in Haryana."
He claimed that the Jats from Delhi, Himachal Pardesh, Rajasthan and Madhya Pardesh have also announced their support to the community in Haryana.
Desh khap president Surinder Singh, after a meeting with Malik, announced to join protests in Haryana and Delhi.
Singh charged BJP workers of Haryana with conspiring to create a wedge between the Jats and the non-Jats in the state.
Desh khap has presence in 84 villages of western UP, Singh claimed, adding on March 2 a massive protest will be held at Jantar Mantar in the national capital over the issue.
In a related development, Haryana Finance Minister Abhimanyu, who is also a Jat, has invited the protesters for a talk.
"All issues can be resolved through talks under the ambit of law. The protests have no purpose, instead they (protesting Jats) should come forward for talks," he said.
"The Haryana government is finding ways out to resolve the Jats issues as per the constitution. The government is prepared to hold talks with the protesters," he added.
Malik, meanwhile, reaffirmed that tomorrow onwards, the protesters will not cooperate with the government and not pay electricity and water bills and also they instalment of loans that they owe to the government.
Jats from Delhi and UP will protest in Delhi on March 2 and submit a memorandum on the quota issue to the President, he said, adding they also plan to gherao Parliament, the date for which will be announced during the Delhi demonstration.
Meanwhile, the paramilitary forces are also keeping a vigil at many places, officials said.
Besides seeking quota in education and government jobs under the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category, the demands of the Jats include release of those jailed during last year's agitation, withdrawal of cases slapped during the protest and government jobs for the kin of those killed and injured while taking part in the stir.
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As many as 30 people were killed and property worth crores was damaged at many places in Haryana during last year's Jat stir which had turned violent.
Rohtak and some of its neighbouring districts, including Sonipat and Jhajjar, were the worst hit by the violence.
Meanwhile, Finance Minister Abhimanyu added that the state government was prepared to hold talks with an open mind on the issue.
He claimed the leaders of political parties were "trying to mislead" the youth "to regain their lost political ground" through protests.
He said it was the responsibility of all to maintain peace and harmony and the people of the state were aware of the fact that the agitation for reservation had been lent a political flavour as leaders of the opposition parties had not been able to raise any issues in the two years of the present state government.
Abhimanyu said the government was in favour of granting reservation and a Bill to this effect had been passed in the Vidhan Sabha with the consent of all 90 legislators, after which the government presented a strong case in the court.
Appealing to the agitators to come forward for talks with the government, he said a solution to the matter was possible only through dialogue.
He said the committee of agitators had to specify on which level they wanted to conduct talks with the state government.
