AJGAR is 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 and Jats and Gurjars and rajputs are of the same social and Fighter community.
Aims and objectives
editThe 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.[4] It's being promoted as single entity called Kshatriyas. AJGAR emerged to gain political power in the state.[5][6]
Political outcome
editIn Western Uttar Pradesh, the wealth and power of AJGAR alliance increased during the Green Revolution period,[3][7] but the AJGAR formula failed to gain widespread support.[8] However, later in 1989, the leader V. P. Singh used the AJGAR cluster successfully to conjoin the Other Backward Classes and Rajputs.[9][clarification needed]
See also
editReferences
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.
- ^ 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.