AAP, BJP playing politics over Jat quota, says Phogat

New Delhi: Congress MLA from Julana Vinesh Phogat on Friday accused both BJP and AAP of playing politics on the issue of Jat reservation and making no efforts to resolve the matter.
The former wrestler said it was Congress govt at Centre that, through a notification on March 4, 2014, put the Jat community in the OBC list for reservation in nine states — Delhi, Bihar, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand.
"But after the Supreme Court struck down the notification in March 2015, Modi govt at the Centre did not strongly plead for Jat reservation nor did the then CM Kejriwal take a strong stand for it," Phogat said during a press conference.
Ahead of the assembly elections, reservation for Delhi's Jat community has become the latest flashpoint. On Jan 9, AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union home minister Amit Shah of "betraying" the community and not including it in Centre's OBC list. However, on Jan 16, National Commission for Backward Classes chairperson Hansraj Gangaram Ahir claimed the panel received no proposal from Delhi govt in the matter over the past 10 years.
Phogat alleged BJP and AAP were doing "mere lip service" regarding Jat reservation for political gains in the Delhi Assembly elections and did not have any genuine concern for the welfare of the community.
"Had Kejriwal been concerned about the Jats, he would not have been the first CM to endorse the three black farm laws passed by Modi govt. When the farmers of the whole country were protesting the three laws, Kejriwal called a special session of Delhi Assembly to issue a notification to endorse Modi's black laws in Delhi," she claimed.
"Congress has been the only party that takes up the issues of Jats, OBCs, Harijans and the backward classes. Rahul Gandhi has been speaking up for them very strongly," said Phogat.
She also accused BJP and AAP for doing a "copy-paste job" of Congress's guarantees, which it had fulfilled in states like Karnataka, Telangana, Himachal Pradesh and Jharkhand.
"AAP announced Rs 1,000 per month for Punjab's women, but three years on, it is yet to implement it. Similarly, in Maharashtra, BJP promised it would increase honorarium for women from Rs 1,500 to Rs 2,100 and in MP from Rs 1,250 to Rs 3,000, but these promises remain on paper. On the contrary, Congress hiked the amount for women from Rs 1,500 to Rs 2,500 as soon as the new Jharkhand govt took charge," said Phogat.