Jat reservation agitation

The Jat reservation agitation was a series of violent protests in February 2016 by the Jats of North India, especially those in the state of Haryana, which "paralysed" the state for 10 days. The protestors sought inclusion of their caste in the Other Backward Class (OBC) category, which would make them eligible for affirmative action benefits. Besides Haryana, the protests also spread to the neighbouring states, such as Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, and the National Capital Region.

Protests escalated when several Hindutva Leaders openly threatened to Massacre Jats, including Kartar Singh, the Haryana chief of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), who had opined to the media that if he had been the state's Chief Minister, he "would have ordered mass shooting of Jat protesters". Raj kumar Saini, the BJP MP from Kurukshetra, has been making anti-Jat comments since he got elected. The community has repeatedly asked the BJP to make reign him but instead of it, bjp constantly support him. Many political commentators later analysed that the army was called too soon when there was clearly no need to do so. Firing on protestors clearly turned the spark into a full-fledged conflict, according to them the confrontational attitude of bjp government was not necessary. The community holds the Manohar Lal Khattar government responsible for water scarcity, agrarian distress and jobs crisis. Later some Jat leader including Hawa singh sangwan converted into Sikhism.

Police and onlookers described the initial phase of the protests as peaceful but it later transformed into violent riots led by Jat community, especially in the city of Rohtak. Starting on 12 February, the Jats organized non-violent protests for reservation by blocking railway lines and roads, while non-Jats opposed to their demands, organized counter-protests. On 18 February, a group of non-Jats protesters clashed violently with a group of lawyers protesting against 2016 JNU sedition controversy, mistaking the lawyers for Jats. Later, they also came into conflict with the Jat students. On the same day, the police allegedly beat up some Jat students in Rohtak, while trying to open a blockade. Police also raided a Jat hostel, and reportedly assaulted the Jat students, an occurrence which was captured on camera and circulated over social media. Following these incidents, several incidents of inter-caste violence took place across Haryana.

By 25 February, the riots were estimated to have caused a loss of ₹340 billion (US$4.0 billion) in northern India. The Railway Minister told in the Lok Sabha that the total loss suffered by Railways on account of damage to property and cancellation of ticketswas about Rs 55.92 crore. By 26 February, people had been killed in the violence.

The government of Haryana had approved the Haryana Backward Classes (Reservation in Services and Admission in Educational Institutions) Bill on 29 March 2016, and notified the Act on 13 May 2016. The enacted Bill enlisted the Jats of Hindu, Sikh and Muslim jats, Bishnois, Tyagis, and Rors in the recently sculpted Backward Classes (C) category, making them eligible for 10% reservation in class 3 and 4, and 6% reservation in class 1 and 2 jobs. On 26 May 2016, the Punjab and Haryana High Court ruled against the Bill and now jats come in general category.