Jats from Delhi’s villages take pride in community leader

As Delhi minister Kailash Gahlot unfurled the Tricolour on Thursday during the Capital’s Independence Day event, one community in particular was in attendance just to cheer him on: hundreds of people from Jat-dominated villages of Najafgarh and Palam were present to see a leader from their community lead the city’s celebrations.
Gahlot is the first Jat leader to unfurl the flag at the state-level August 15 event since former chief minister Sahib Singh Verma in 1998.
The Delhi government’s Independence Day celebrations are organised at Chhatrasal stadium in north Delhi. Usually, it is the chief minister who unfurls the flag, but this year, CM Arvind Kejriwal is in jail in connection with alleged irregularities in the Delhi excise policy 2021-22.
Kejriwal nominated Atishi, who is in charge of 12 ministries, to take his place, but the Tihar administration censured the CM for sending the letter ostensibly in contravention of prison rules, and lieutenant governor (LG) VK Saxena later nominated Gahlot to unfurl the flag.
On Thursday, hundreds of Jats at Chhatrasal stadium said that Gahlot unfurling the flag was a moment of pride for the community.
“We have come from Najafgarh to witness this historic occasion. A member of our community is unfurling the national flag here, it is a moment of great pride for us. Hundreds of people arrived to witness the function. A large number of people from Najafgarh, Palam, and other areas attended,” said Randhir Singh Solanki, from Bapraula village in Najafgarh.
Karan Singh, from Palam Dichau village, said that the community is not concerned with the controversy that led to Gahlot being picked to unfurl the flag.
“We are just proud that a member of our community was given the honour,” Singh said.