Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Saturday reiterated his government’s stand on the reservation issue and announced that the existing 27 per cent reservation for Other Backward Classes (OBC) would not be disturbed. He said the state will introduce a Bill in the forthcoming session of the Vidhan Sabha, beginning March 14, for granting reservation to five communities including those of Jat, Jat Sikh, Tyagi, Bishnoi and Ror. The state government will also constitute an all-party committee to draft the Bill. The committee will comprise representatives from all political parties from Haryana. Presidents of all the registered political parties in the state have been asked to send names of their representatives to the state government for the committee, Khattar said. The CM added, “A five-member committee has already been constituted under the chairmanship of the Chief Secretary to prepare a draft of the Bill to grant reservation under the ambit of Constitution. In case the all-party committee was able to draft the new Bill unanimously, it would be passed in the Vidhan Sabha without any discussion.” “People associated with the agitation and others could submit their suggestions in this regard to the committee, so that their suggestions could be incorporated while drafting the Bill,” the statement read. “The existing 27 per cent reservation for Other Backward Classes in the State would not be disturbed. I appeal to the people of the state to maintain peace and brotherhood and not get swayed by rumours. I also urge them to desist from making such irresponsible statements that disturb the peace and amity,” Khattar was quoted in the statement.
