Let me make this a little dramatic.
Historically, the Gurjaras were one of the most prominent dynasties (yes, I hate the word “tribe” or “clan” because it reminds me of all the obnoxious colonial connotations that accompany it) that sacrificed thousands of warriors to ward off Islamic invasions. That is also because Rajasthan was one state that sustained some of the most devastating attacks. We can trace the antecedents of an entire state–Gujarat to this dynasty. This crude paraphrase of Milton, “from what height to what fall” only describes the dismal abyss this once-glorious dynasty is forcing to foster upon itself.
I am talking about the today’s Gujjars.
There’s really nothing much to comment on the Gujjar “agitation.” It is an extension of the script existing for about 60 years. The original idea of reservations was to bring the disadvantaged to the mainstream as quickly as possible. The original plan of 10 years was as ambitious as it was sensible. Today, not many remember that reservations was envisaged as one of the significant tasks to hasten the larger goal of nation-building. However, in less than two decades, it metamorphosed itself as a tool to foster a retrograde form of politics after quickly dispensing with the unwanted business of nation-building. The Gujjar “agitation” is just the latest boil to erupt out of that retrograde malady, which exceeds itself each year. From a race to becoming a nation of the brightest, and the best, we have stooped to fighting with each other to prove just the opposite.
It helps to keep this perspective handy before examining the Gujjar issue.
Vasundhara Raje is a good example of the fact that even a hint to look at the Reservations issue in an alternative light will cost an election today. Actually, I should alter that. Raje had to resort to force after Bainsala gained prominence. However, the more fundamental point is that the Gujjar issue had blotted all previous achievements of her government. It may well cost the BJP this election. Only the most naive will believe that the Congress is not egging Bainsala on –if it has not, in the first place, anointed him to unleash his thuggery. In a stroke, Bainsala has managed to create a new vote bank for the Congress. Come campaign time, the Congress party will promise to deliver the “social justice” that the BJP had failed to. And this will be one promise the party will deliver overnight if they come to power. And then they will extend this justice to the Meenas and…well, whoever suddenly feels they have been victimized for thousands of years. The BJP’s campaign on the development platform, the Gujarat model, etc will hold no water against the H-bomb that the Congress now has in its hands.
Public discourse on this issue is not encouraging. Barring a few strongly-worded pieces, nobody has condemned the havoc that Bainsala and his band of goons have let loose. The focus, sadly, has never moved beyond caste oppression, or “social justice.” Which pushes even intelligent commentators to refrain from condemning Bainsala’s hooliganism. Pratap Bhanu Mehta, normally a sensible commentator takes refuge in regrettable vagueness. His article condemns Raje’s “use of force” instead of criticizing Bainsala’s bluff.
The chief minister’s instinctive response to political problems is to respond with excessive force, as if the expression of any social discontent is simply a form of impunity.
The “expression of social discontent” does not settle the argument. Bainsala’s vandalism is anything but an expression of discontent. Offstumped is both blunt and accurate.
This makes it all the more necessary for Vasundhara Raje to take a tough and uncompromising stand on this issue. While her government deals with the Law and Order with an iron fist, Ms. Raje must take the Gujjar Leadership head on politically.
Amid all these incidents of mass insanity, minor but crucial factors escape public notice: count the number of times the army has been called to quell civilian disturbances ever since the UPA has assumed office. Is that an indicator of something?
9 Comments
Very good write up.
The way the media has handled this issue has been shocking to say the least. Not a word of condemnation against the way the public has been held hostage in the face of this rampant hooliganism.
What I fear is that this particular flare-up might give certain other communities ideas in other parts of the country.
sir / madam
pleas keep the peace .
and belive in truth.
If gujjar,s are with nobody (gvot & any further ) can’t stop or hide there RIGHT,
OUR FATHER OF NATION ALSO BIFE IN TRUTH AND PEACE,
THANK U.
Well that’s the point. ‘Sanskritization’ as meant by Srinivas has no pejorative connotations. It signified aspirations for upward mobility. If it had gone on unhindered, it would actually have led to a very diluted form of caste structure, where all castes would be more or less ‘high’. Quotas put paid to all of that. They ushered in a clamour for ‘backwardness’. Now there is a movement in the reverse direction, making caste regimentation a self-fulfilling prophecy of caste ’specialists’. Violent tactics for claiming ‘low’ status is just one aspect of it. There are others that are not visible. In order to qualify to be ’socially backward’, castes must exhibit certain government-stipulated characteristics. Castes claim these.
Today Bainsala has asked for a review of the reservation policy, which will remove those people who have benefited from it ( read Meenas). I find nothing wrong with it, although nobody ,esp. not the Congress will have the guts to do something about it. Btw, if Congress is courting Gujjars, wont the Meenas vote BJP ?
Sandeep,
Though still not proven or clear, I strongly suspect that Congress is behind Bainsala.
Note the timing - the Jaipur blasts have been overshadowed by the gujjar agitation. This agitation is a great cover for the Congress to move the spotlight from its failure to control Islamic terrorism . Shivraj Patil’s lame excuses like non-receipt of Rajasthan governments letters on bangladeshi jehadis in Jaipur did not work.
Also, this agitation flared up again, immediately after BJP win in Karnataka
I suggest granting reservations to each and every community that asks for it. Also, keep increasing the reservation percentage till it reaches 100%. Finally we end up with 100% reservations with all communities eligible for it
Problem solved. 
I really wonder why do the Gujjars are agitating.. they already have OBC status.. why create trouble for themselves for a few extra seats under ST status.. Or are they agitating because Meenas have it and they dont.. Doosro ka khilona jyada accha lagta hai etc etc
I am waiting for the day when brahmins start demanding reservations.
With talks of UPA trying to get reservations started in Private sector as well, brahmins are now being pushed against the wall..
Brahmins form a substantial population in North and if things get out of hand, they may take a leaf or two from Gujjars…
Violence at our doorstep
Tavleen Singh
“If we had a real leader in Delhi instead of a common minimum prime minister, violent Gurjjar mobs would not have dared block entrances to the city with barricades of burning tyres as they did last week. If we had a real leader in Delhi, Col Kirori Mall Bainsla would have been in jail long before he incited his brethren to behead policemen, burn police stations and rip up railways tracks.”
http://www.indianexpress.com/story/317086.html
Places Named After Gujar Tribe In Pakistan
The thousands of places were named after the Gujjars and their sub-tribes in the Sub-Continent during the period they ruled over the South and some part of Central Asia. In these days an interesting discussion is going on as to who the Gujjars or Gurjars are? I am mentioning the name of some places situated in all the four provinces of Pakistan. This do not include the villages named after the Gujjars situated in Jammu & Kashmir, Northern Areas and the Tribal Areas. I will updating the visitors of this site after I complete the data in respect of these areas. I will also try my best some time later to provide the name of villages after the sub-tribes of Gujjars. The following data will help the analysts and historians to draw some befitting and logical conclusion.
I will be highly obliged if any brethren may add to my knowledge by mentioning such places named after the word Gujar, Gujjar or Gurjar, situated in India or any other part of the world. Kindly forward this despatch to other sites discussing the Gujjar’s dilema and their movement in Rajisthan, India.
Regards
Ch. Muhammad Ashraf Gujjar,
m_ashraf777@hotmail.com
P U N J A B PROVINCE:
DERA GHAZI KHAN DISTRICT
THOKH GUJRI
LAYYAH DISTRICT
GUJRAT
MUZAFFARGARH DISTRICT
GUJARWALA
RAJANPUR DISTRICT
KOTLA GOJAR
GUJAR WALI
FAISALABAD DISTRICT
CHAK 217/GB GUJJAR PIND
CHAK 176/GB PALA GOJRA
JHANG DISTRICT
JAT GUJJAR
TOBA TEK SINGH DISTRICT
GOJRA TEHSIL
GUJRANWALA DISTRICT
KOTLI GUJRAN
GUJRAT DISTRICT
GUJARPUR
DHOK GUJRAN
GUJJAR KOTLA
KULEWAL GUJRAN
KHANPUR GUJRAN
HAFIZABAD DISTRICT
GUJRANWALI
GUJAR KE
MANDI BAHAUDDIN DISTRICT
GOJRA
NAROWAL DISTRICT
GUJAR WALI
BHABRA GUJRAN
BERA GUJRAN
KHANPUR GUJRAN
CHHANI GUJRAN
DEHLA GUJRAN
PAILA GUJRAN
GUJAR TOOR
HAJI PUR GUJRAN
DARYA GUJRAN
KOTLI GUJRAN
BADALA GUJRAN
NIKI GUJRAN
JHOMIAN GUJRAN
GUJRAT
NADALA GUJRAN
BALA GUJRAN
BHERON CHAK GUJRAN
TEHRA GUJRAN
SIALKOT DISTRICT
GUJARKE
GOJRA
GUJAR KALLA
GUJAR GORAYA
GUJRAL
GUJRAN WALA
KASUR DISTRICT
GURJKE
LAHORE DISTRICT
NAWAN PIND GUJRAN
HANDU GUJAR
QILA GUJAR SINGH
WARRA GUJARAN
OKARA DISTRICT
GHOUS PUR GUJJRAN
SHEIKHUPURA DISTRICT
GUJAR PURA
MAHMOON GUJAR
KALA GUJAR
KOTLI GUJRAN
RATTA GUJRAN
VEHARI DISTRICT
GUJAR
ATTOCK DISTRICT
THATTI GUJRAN
DHOK GUJAR
CHAKWAL DISTRICT
BHATTI GUJAR
MOHRA GUJRAN
PINDI GUJRAN
JHELUM DISTRICT
WARA GUJRAN
GUJER PUR
KALA GUJRAN
THATHI GUJRAN
GUJJAR
GUJAR KATARIAN
RAWALPINDI DISTRICT
GUJAR KHAN TEHSIL
GOJRA
MATUA GUJAR
DHANGDEW GUJAR MAL
JAND GUJAR
GURAH GUJARAN
PHAMRA GUJRAN
KALA GUJRAN
BHANGALI GUJAR
ARAZI GUJRAL
DHOK GUJRI
BHADANA GUJRAN
DANDI GUJRAN
KHURAM GUJAR
MIANWALI DISTRICT
GUJRAN WALA
GUJRAT
KHUSHAB DISTRICT
GUJRANWALA
North Western Frontier Province(N. W. F. P.)
D. I. KHAN DISTRICT
GUJRAT
ABBOTTABAD DISTRICT
MASAH GUJRI
GUJRI
BAIN GUJRI
HARIPUR DISTRICT
PIND GUJRAN
MOHRRA GUJAR
KOHISTAN DISTRICT
GUJJAR BANDA
GUJARYBAKE
GUJAR KHEL
GUJAR BANDA
GUJAR BANDA
MANSEHRA DISTRICT
GUJRAN
GUJRA
GUJRAN DE GAL
LOWER DIR DISTRICT
GUJAR KALAI
GUJAR ABAD
UPPER DIR DISTRICT
GUJARA KILI
GUJAR LALA
MALA-GUJAR
MARDAN DISTRICT
GUJRAT
GUJAR GARHI
Mohalla GUJARAN
Bakhshali
PESHAWAR DISTRICT
CHOUHA GUJAR
MIAN GUJAR
S I N D PROVINCE
KARACHI DISTRICT GUJAR CHOWK,
Manzoor Colony
Gujjar Nallah
BADIN DISTRICT
GUJRI
LARKANA DISTRICT
GUJHAR
SANGHAR DISTRICT
GUJRO
GUJHERAN
GUJHRO
SUKKUR DISTRICT
GUJRO
B A L U C H I S T A N PROVINCE
AWARAN DISTRICT
GUJARO
KHUZDAR DISTRICT
GUJAAR
BOLAN DISTRICT
GUJAR
PISHIN DISTRICT
GUJIR
DERA BUGTI DISTRICT
GUJRO
ZHOB DISTRICT
GURJE ZAI
ISLAMABAD CAPITAL TERRITORY (I.C.T.)
KANGOTA GUJRAN
DERA GUJARAN (SECTOR G-10)
GOHRRA GUJARAN
MARRI GUJAR, TALHARR.
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[...] The solidarity of the Hindus is heartening. They’ve been fighting for weeks and show no signs of giving up, which is a sad commentary on the plight of Hindus, as well as a blot on a shameless state whose response to genuine grievance is pure violence. Strangely, we don’t see any angry editorials trouncing the government for using force. Not long ago, the media used to at least pay lip service if Hindus were killed, as in the case when 30 Amarnath yatra pilgrims were gunned down by terrorists. The current media fashion is to brazen it out and blame the victims for inviting it: we need to understand the psyche of the terrorists, they have undergone severe trauma as they’re constantly victimized on account of their being Muslims etcetra. It is the fault of VHP/Bajrang Dal/RSS. [...]