Former Punjab Chief Minister and the scion of the erstwhile Patiala royal family Capt Amarinder Singh.
WAS TAKEN OUT IN A CHARIOT (RATH) DRIVEN BY FOUR HORSES
New Delhi, July 5, 2013: Former Punjab Chief Minister and the scion of the erstwhile Patiala royal family Capt Amarinder Singh was on Friday installed as the president of the All India Jat Maha Sabha amidst an equally royal grandeur in presence of thousands of people at Talkatora stadium.
According a royal reception to Capt Amarinder that had all the regal grandeur, he was taken out in a chariot (rath) driven by four horses. The chariot had two elephants ahead in lead. As the chariot passed towards the stadium, Capt Amarinder was showered with flower petals while the drums kept on beating and people kept on dancing.
As the 'royal' entourage entered into the stadium, it was accorded a thumping standing ovation by thousands of people gathered inside.Acknowledging the love and affection showered at him Capt Amarinder promised to come to their best expectations. He said, he was touched and humbled by the love people have given him.
Speaking on the occasion, Sheila Dixit lauded the contribution of the Jat community in the nation building. She said, Delhi took pride in providing the reservation to the Jats in the government jobs and hoped it is extended at the central level as well. She congratulated Capt Amarinder for taking over as the new president of such a prestigious organisation which has rich history.
She announced that her government will provide land for the Kisan Bhawan in Delhi, which has been a long pending demand of the Jat Maha Sabha.
Addressing the function, Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda underlined the need for uniting the community. He promised that he will address all the pending issues related to the Jat community.
In his first presidential address Capt Amarinder thanked the Sabha for reposing so much faith and confidence in him. He said, he was touched the way he was unanimously elected the president of the Jat Maha Sabha and now accorded such a warm reception by the people.
He underlined the need for fighting against various social evils particularly the female foeticide and the drug addiction among the youth. He said, the community which has a golden past needs to live to its reputation and the expectations the people have from it.
Capt Amarinder asserted that the Jat community must get the reservation within the 27 per cent reserved for the Other Backward Classes. He made it clear that the Jat Sabha was not seeking any extra reservation and did not want to disturb the present reservation structure but only wanted that the Jats be included among the OBCs as have been their counterparts in other communities. He also clarified that the Sabha only wanted reservation for those Jats whose land holdings are less than eight acres and whose annual income is less than Rs 4.5 lakhs.
Earlier welcoming the delegates and guests Yudhvir Singh gave a brief description of the history of the Jat Maha Sabha and urged the community to rise to the occasion and live by the ideals and purpose with which it was constituted.
Prominent among those present on the occasion included the Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dixit, Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, Union Minister for Civil Aviation Ajit Singh, senior Congress leaders Renuka Chaudhary, Chaudhary Birender, General Secretary of the Jat Maha Sabha Yudhvir Singh and its national vice president Harpal Singh Harpura and a galaxy of dignitaries.
Others present on the occasion included Rana Gurjeet Singh, Kewal Dhillon, Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa, Sukh Sarkaria, Sukhjinder Randhawa, Ramanjit Sikki, Ajaib Singh Bhatti, Joginder Singh Panjgraian, Hardayal Kambhoj, Mohammad Sadiq, Aruna Chaudhary, Raninder Singh, Harpartap Ajnala, BIS Chahal, Mohinder Rinwa, Dharamveer Agnihotri, Madan Lal Jalalpur, Kikki Dhillon, Jagbir Brar, Gurjit Aujla, Sonu Dhesi, Laly Jawandha, Gobind Khatra, Jagdeep Sidhu, Major Amardeep, Karanpal Sekhon and Jaspal Sarpanch.