New Delhi: The Rajasthan state in India is on the boil. Twenty six out of 30 districts are under the grip of violence. Within three days of the Gujjars' agitation for Scheduled Tribe status, death toll in police firing and mob violence has increased to 20. With no chance of peace being restored in near future, one needs to think over this issue afresh. There are many more reasons that demand this rethinking including dwindling number of employment opportunities and the politics of reservation in the country.
Let us remember the fact that Gujjars are at present enjoying the benefit of reservation under Other Backward Caste (OBC) quota. They were included in this OBC category by Mandal Commission implemented by the then Prime Minister Vishvanath Pratap Singh's regime (1989 - 92). Before this inclusion they were in general categories since they were never been included in Scheduled Tribe category for which they are agitating now.
There is no denying the fact that this community has a history of a pastoral community and they have distinct culture and existence. On this ground they are treated by some scholars as one of the tribal communities of India. However, this tribal community was not Scheduled under the constitution. The reasons were perhaps many - ranging from their comparatively developed status to the mainstream politics of the day around the time when India got its independence and the Constitution was being drafted.
Was it an error? Did our leaders make mistakes in not giving this community a Scheduled Tribe status? Has this community been ignored in sharing the fruits of development and democracy in India? Are the Gujjars in Rajasthan different from the same community in other states like Gujrat, Himiachal Pradesh or Jammu and Kashmir? Why this community is being given Scheduled Tribe status in Himachal Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir? There are many other questions which demand urgent answers.
To answer all such questions let us understand this community in general and the Gujjars of Rajasthan in particular. Why this progressive community with a glorious past and a promising future want to have the status of Scheduled Tribe will only be understood thereafter.
This community is a brave community with an irresistible desire to excel in all fields. They are generally strong and larger in physique compared to others. They have a very good self esteem and are generally proud of their culture and community. This community has given India some of the great leaders like King Mihir Bhoj, Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel, Vijay Singh Pathik, and a recent Congress leader Rajesh Pilot (from Rajasthan). These leaders are named here just for example, and the real list of great Gujjars is much bigger.
If we think about this community as per the Varna System of the Hindus, one can classify them as Kshatriya or the Warrior class. All the three variations of Gujjars (Gujjar, Gurjar, and Gujar) traditionally fall in this category. They formerly ruled Gurjara-Pratihara kingdom which included much of the Northern India during 8th and the 9th centuries.
However, the Gujjars of today are not in that ruling position. They want political power and economic fruits more than others. Therefore, on the one hand, they want more and more reservation for themselves in every field. They are not satisfied with the special benefits given to them in Rajasthan as OBCs and are demanding more in shape of Scheduled Tribes as being given in some other states.
Gujjars are not limited to India. They also live in other parts of the globe like Afghanistan, Iran, Ukraine and Pakistan. They are today a combination of local, South Asian, and Central Asian elements. They are represented in the fields like agriculture, urban professions, civil services and officer classes. There is no supporting data as to whether they are well represented or lagging behind.
Let us also remember here that there are Gujjar Muslims also but not in Rajasthan. Gujjars are settled mainly in North India and Pakistan, but we are not concerned here about this community in Pakistan where their population is said to be over three crores or elsewhere.
In India their population is about 3.3 crores. Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujrat, Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Karnataka, Jammu and Kashmir, Delhi, and Orissa have Gujjar population, however, majority of their population reside in UP, Rajasthan, and Gujrat. In India, only Gujjars of Jammu and Kashmir are Muslims. The rest of the community are (nearly all) Hindus. Some Gujjars are also Sikhs.
Despite this fact, all Gurjars speak their mother tongue “Gujari, also spelled Gurjuri, Gojuri, and Gojiri” regardless of their religion and region. There are about 500 subcastes or gotras within the Gujjars, Kasana, Bhati, Nagar, Chechi, Chauhan, Poswal to name a few. The cultural and phonetic evidences tells that the word Gujar is a derivation of Gurjara and sounds like Georgia which indicates that the Gurjar community is of central asian origan (Georgia,Chechnya,Ukraine etc), which might have been prevented them from inclusion as a tribal in ST list of India.
This theory of origin of Gujjars is supported by one of the known historian Dr Huthi of Georgia. He visited India and studied on the Gujars living in Northern part of India. He found Indian gurjars' langauge accent, their dress and their bullock carts resembling that of the Georgians. Dr. Huthi believes that the Gujars came to India when 'Timur' let loose a reign of terror over them. They were subsequently pushed to India he believes. They came to India to protect their lives and religion and called themselves 'Georgian' which with the passage of time became Jorjars. Later this word was changed into 'Gurjar' or 'Gujjar'. If this theory is to be believed we have to reconsider whether the whole community should be treated as tribe or not? Or the Government of India should continue its policy to give them ST status in one state and not giving this status is another state?
There will arise another problem in this regard because some of the Historians agree on the point that Gujjar and Jat have the same Scythian Origin. That is why they both have tribal traditions which relate in the war-like and martial traditions of Scythians. Jats are also not satisfied with their present status and they are also demanding reservations. Fortunately, Jats are not demanding Scheduled Tribe status at present.
In this politically surcharged scenario, nothing could be done. We should stop violence from both sides first. Only then rethinking on the overall policy of reservation which has derailed the ethos of unity and made room for narrow political strategies, could begin. Please stop fuelling the fire in the name of reservation and anti-reservation and support moves for creating a bias free society having justice in its core.
People of India should decide if they need a system based on castes and religions or not? If we need it, then let us have proper data of various castes and religious groups, and if we do not need it let us make room for more neutral bases of welfare and development. #