AJGAR was a suggested alliance of the Ahir, Jat, Gurjar and Rajput. It was first proposed by Sir Chhotu Ram, a rural leader and politician in pre-independence India as a form of peasant-alliance.[1]
The theory was later used by Chaudhary Charan Singh in the 1970s as a part of his Kisan-Politics[2] to break the monopoly of Indian National Congress in Uttar Pradesh.[3] He subscribed to the Martial Race theory that Ahirs, Jats and Gurjars are of the same social and racial group, the Kshatriya.[4]
Aims and objectives edit
The backward castes are prosperous throughout the state of Uttar Pradesh and constitute the mid-strata of the village social structure. At present, the Panchayati raj, has decided that marriages between these castes would not be considered as inter caste marriage.[5] It's being promoted as single entity called Kshatriyas. AJGAR emerged to gain political power in the state.[6][7]
Political outcome edit
In Western Uttar Pradesh, the wealth and power of AJGAR alliance increased during the Green Revolution period,[3][8] but the AJGAR formula failed to gain widespread support.[9] However, later in 1989, the leader V. P. Singh used the AJGAR cluster successfully to conjoin the Other Backward Classes and Rajputs.[10][clarification needed]
See also edit
References edit
- ^ Jaffrelot, Christophe (2003). India's Silent Revolution: The Rise of the Lower Castes in North India. Hurst. ISBN 9781850656708.
- ^ Jaffrelot, Christophe (2003). India's Silent Revolution: The Rise of the Lower Castes in North India. Hurst. ISBN 9781850656708.
- ^ a b Price, Pamela; Ruud, Arild Engelsen (26 July 2012). Power and Influence in India: Bosses, Lords and Captains. Routledge. ISBN 9781136197987.
- ^ Brij Kishore Sharma (2008). Social, Economic and Political Contribution of Caste Associations in Northern India: A Case Study of All India Jat Mahasabha. Har Anand Publications, 2008. p. 49. ISBN 9788124114124.
- ^ Marriages among Ahir, Jaat, Gujjar and Rajput will not be "inter-caste"
- ^ M. P. S. Chandel (1 January 1991). Democratic Transformation of a Social Class. Mittal Publications. p. 110. ISBN 9788170993148.
- ^ Mahendra Lal Patel (1997). Awareness in Weaker Section: Perspective Development and Prospects. M.D. Publications Pvt. Ltd. p. 33. ISBN 9788175330290.
- ^ Lucia Michelutti (2002). "Sons of Krishna: the politics of Yadav community formation in a North Indian town" (PDF). London School of Economics and Political Science University of London. p. 34. Retrieved 20 May 2015.
- ^ Shafiuzzaman (2003). The Samajwadi Party: A Study of Its Social Base, Ideology, and Programme. APH Publishing. p. 44. ISBN 9788176484480.
- ^ Rajendra Vora; Suhas Palshikar (2003). Indian Democracy: Meanings and Practices. SAGE Publications. p. 252. ISBN 978-93-5150-019-3.