All’s quiet on the Western front! After a weeklong agitation in the western state of Rajasthan, Gujjar leaders have settled for peace. Though the calm is temporary on promises by the Government of Rajasthan that a commission will look into the demands of Gujjars, to be included in the schedules tribes category.
The week that went by saw huge destruction of public and private property by angry mobs, in addition to numerous valuable human lives lost in the clashes. Gujjars fought pitched battles with the police to make them heard and the Meenas joined in the fray, fighting Gujjars so that their interests are not undermined. So much for emancipation of backward classes of the society! Highways were blocked, trains halted & destroyed, buses burnt, private vehicles broken, an undesirable pledge to bring everything to a standstill. Even a ‘bandh’ was called in the National Capital Region that paralyzed large sections of the metropolis. I was left wondering that whether a community that commands such firepower and clout needs to be added to the scheduled tribes category?
My sudden curiosity in Gujjars ensuing this chain of violent events led me to some basic research into their background and history. Gujjars have been “kshatriyas” traditionally and some even “brahmins” under the primeval Indian caste system. It is a matter of intense anthropological and sociological study to verify these sources. Even though the Indian states of Jammu & Kashmir and Uttarakhand have already added Gujjars in their respective scheduled tribe lists.
There is another aspect to the argument. The foremost leader in the Gujjar campaign, Colonel (Retd.) Kirori Singh Bhainsala is believed to be a descendant of Bhonsles. Bhonsles were Maratha rulers and warriors with famous kings like Sivaji in their dynasty. Well, I guess castes and such absurd classifications do not change with time!
You must have jumped to the conclusion by now that I am trying to invalidate Gujjars’ claims for the scheduled tribes status. Well, no! I was intrigued and bewildered when I learnt these facts. Though, I do not have the resources to verify these pieces of information. More importantly, my concern is considerably deviated from the question whether Gujjars or not? Individually I have great respect for Gujjars. They are a brave warrior clan who have contributed to the nation’s cause repeatedly. They have fought invaders and plunderers from central and west Asia. They rose against the British in the first war of Indian independence. Generations of Gujjars have been serving in the Indian army, fighting our enemies valiantly and preserving our sovereignty.
My distress is drastically different. The anxiety is not whom to put in the scheduled tribe or the scheduled caste lists. It is why? Why should we carry on development in modern India on lines of a system that is ancient at best? A system that is illogical, unholy and inhuman. A system that differentiates man from man on basis of his profession, antecedents and such irrational factors. I believe the constitution, embodied in various laws wants to eliminate these social barriers. Are we not keeping them alive by doing so?
A boy born today will not think twice before playing with a dalit peer. They will happily go to school together, eat, study and grow up to become responsible citizens of India. Now, you suddenly tell him that his forefathers (whom he does not know!) oppressed his friend’s ancestors, being the members of a higher caste. This is the reason he will be harassed today and will have to compete fiercely at every stage in his career. Whereas his friend who got a similar upbringing will enjoy preferences in educational institutions and jobs because his predecessors were persecuted. And hatred is born again. Caste and creed that did not matter till this point in time have raised their ugly heads.
I strongly believe that economic emancipation of the downtrodden can be more scientifically and successfully achieved by basing the classification on firm economic indicators. A tribal or dalit may be socio-economically well off. For example, Colonel Baisala though belongs to the supposedly afflicted Gujjar community, but is not in any case an oppressed man. He served in the Indian army with dignity and retired as a Lieutenant Colonel. Two of his sons are serving in the army as colonels with another son and a daughter being a telecom executive and income tax official respectively. Surely, he is one Gujjar who does not want any quota benefits!
Trust me there will be more. Not only of Gujjars but even Meenas and all scheduled castes, scheduled tribes, and other backward classes. So, why to waste taxpayers money to subsidize education and other amenities for people who do not need it? Why to block vacancies for people who do not need a backdoor entry to rise in the social stratum? Had the gradation been made on stronger and flawless grounds like monthly family income, education level of parents or access to basic amenities like safe drinking water, food, electricity, etc., this miscalculation would never have happened. I agree that there are millions of people who belong to the aforesaid communities who are in serious need of government support for social justice. But they certainly will find their way into any socio-economic assortment founded on more convincing economic grounds, leaving out the privileged sections of these communities.
If this sounds logical why not act accordingly? Such measures will also ease out the tensions between communities who are vying for social division on primitive rationale. Is the government facing inadequacy of relevant data? Or a lack of political will?
The government has all the means and methods in place to class and help people on the basis of solid economics. And while the government is playing politics, I am rummaging through my family tree to find out whether any of my great-great-great grandfathers was socially oppressed or not. If not me, I need to think about my coming generations. What say?
The week that went by saw huge destruction of public and private property by angry mobs, in addition to numerous valuable human lives lost in the clashes. Gujjars fought pitched battles with the police to make them heard and the Meenas joined in the fray, fighting Gujjars so that their interests are not undermined. So much for emancipation of backward classes of the society! Highways were blocked, trains halted & destroyed, buses burnt, private vehicles broken, an undesirable pledge to bring everything to a standstill. Even a ‘bandh’ was called in the National Capital Region that paralyzed large sections of the metropolis. I was left wondering that whether a community that commands such firepower and clout needs to be added to the scheduled tribes category?
My sudden curiosity in Gujjars ensuing this chain of violent events led me to some basic research into their background and history. Gujjars have been “kshatriyas” traditionally and some even “brahmins” under the primeval Indian caste system. It is a matter of intense anthropological and sociological study to verify these sources. Even though the Indian states of Jammu & Kashmir and Uttarakhand have already added Gujjars in their respective scheduled tribe lists.
There is another aspect to the argument. The foremost leader in the Gujjar campaign, Colonel (Retd.) Kirori Singh Bhainsala is believed to be a descendant of Bhonsles. Bhonsles were Maratha rulers and warriors with famous kings like Sivaji in their dynasty. Well, I guess castes and such absurd classifications do not change with time!
You must have jumped to the conclusion by now that I am trying to invalidate Gujjars’ claims for the scheduled tribes status. Well, no! I was intrigued and bewildered when I learnt these facts. Though, I do not have the resources to verify these pieces of information. More importantly, my concern is considerably deviated from the question whether Gujjars or not? Individually I have great respect for Gujjars. They are a brave warrior clan who have contributed to the nation’s cause repeatedly. They have fought invaders and plunderers from central and west Asia. They rose against the British in the first war of Indian independence. Generations of Gujjars have been serving in the Indian army, fighting our enemies valiantly and preserving our sovereignty.
My distress is drastically different. The anxiety is not whom to put in the scheduled tribe or the scheduled caste lists. It is why? Why should we carry on development in modern India on lines of a system that is ancient at best? A system that is illogical, unholy and inhuman. A system that differentiates man from man on basis of his profession, antecedents and such irrational factors. I believe the constitution, embodied in various laws wants to eliminate these social barriers. Are we not keeping them alive by doing so?
A boy born today will not think twice before playing with a dalit peer. They will happily go to school together, eat, study and grow up to become responsible citizens of India. Now, you suddenly tell him that his forefathers (whom he does not know!) oppressed his friend’s ancestors, being the members of a higher caste. This is the reason he will be harassed today and will have to compete fiercely at every stage in his career. Whereas his friend who got a similar upbringing will enjoy preferences in educational institutions and jobs because his predecessors were persecuted. And hatred is born again. Caste and creed that did not matter till this point in time have raised their ugly heads.
I strongly believe that economic emancipation of the downtrodden can be more scientifically and successfully achieved by basing the classification on firm economic indicators. A tribal or dalit may be socio-economically well off. For example, Colonel Baisala though belongs to the supposedly afflicted Gujjar community, but is not in any case an oppressed man. He served in the Indian army with dignity and retired as a Lieutenant Colonel. Two of his sons are serving in the army as colonels with another son and a daughter being a telecom executive and income tax official respectively. Surely, he is one Gujjar who does not want any quota benefits!
Trust me there will be more. Not only of Gujjars but even Meenas and all scheduled castes, scheduled tribes, and other backward classes. So, why to waste taxpayers money to subsidize education and other amenities for people who do not need it? Why to block vacancies for people who do not need a backdoor entry to rise in the social stratum? Had the gradation been made on stronger and flawless grounds like monthly family income, education level of parents or access to basic amenities like safe drinking water, food, electricity, etc., this miscalculation would never have happened. I agree that there are millions of people who belong to the aforesaid communities who are in serious need of government support for social justice. But they certainly will find their way into any socio-economic assortment founded on more convincing economic grounds, leaving out the privileged sections of these communities.
If this sounds logical why not act accordingly? Such measures will also ease out the tensions between communities who are vying for social division on primitive rationale. Is the government facing inadequacy of relevant data? Or a lack of political will?
The government has all the means and methods in place to class and help people on the basis of solid economics. And while the government is playing politics, I am rummaging through my family tree to find out whether any of my great-great-great grandfathers was socially oppressed or not. If not me, I need to think about my coming generations. What say?
3 comments:
Well articulated.
The most disturbing part of the while issue is that the "upgradation" of status from OBC to ST will have no differential effect on the lives of the common man. Since OBC's/ST's have the same %age of reservation(s) in jobs and/or education oppoprtunities.
The only difference it will make is on the political front. The Dausa constituency (where this agitation originated) is a parliamentary/legistlative seatreserved for the ST's.
As usual political motivations outweigh social considerations.
Well articulated.
The most disturbing part of the whole issue is that the "upgradation" of status from OBC to ST will have no differential effect on the lives of the common man, since OBC's/ST's have the same %age of reservation(s) in jobs and/or education oppoprtunities.
The only difference it will make is on the political front. The Dausa constituency (where this agitation originated) is a parliamentary/legistlative seat reserved for the ST's.
As usual political motivations outweigh social considerations.
hmmm...
well though am personally not in favor of any kind of " reservation" but the thing is....do we know what & how life really is for a kid born in some small dusty village in Dausa....kind of reminds me of your poem...about your life, experiences , the good times & the bad. That kid will never experience those things or face those issues. He'll never have an old pair of Levis or college days to remember later on....he'll never have the opportunity to go join a BPO & leave a good paying ( maybe even fun job) for something that is his true calling...He has his own battles...& if reservations can in any way help him get where we are today...then I'll just LET HIM BE...!!!!
Coz the truth is that the India in which we are living & the one in the villages ( which btw forms a majority) are centuries apart...
So..another way of looking at the whole thing is to see this as a way of having a India with some basic parity in liffestyle , opportunities to explore & in socio-economic status...rather than taking it as just as a tool for benefiting the SCs/STs/OBCs...
How genuinely the reservations are managed & the question of whether it should be based on social or economic status is a different debate altogether...
Post a Comment