AJGAR

AJGAR was a suggested caste alliance of the Ahir, Jat, Gujar and Rajputs castes. The theoretical alliance was first proposed by Sir Chhotu Ram, a rural leader and politician in pre-independence India. AJGAR later morphed into MAJGAR, by adding Muslims to the equation.^[1] He also included Muslims. thus propagating both AJGAR and MAJGAR theories in the 1930s.^[2][3]

The theory was later used after independence by Charan Singh in the 1970s in Uttar Pradesh to create Votebank for his party and to break the monopoly of Indian National Congress.^[4] Choudhary Charan Singh subscribed to this theory that Ahir, Jat, Gurjar and Rajput belong to the same social and racial group, the Kshatriya.^[5]

Aims and objectives

The changes that have occurred in independent India have been generally such as to increase the power and prestige (political dominance) of the peasant castes, such as Ahir, Jat, Gurjar and the Rajput. The villagers in North India speak of the AJGAR, which literally means "Python" and testifies to the fear which the dominant castes rouse in the oppressed minority castes.^[6] The AJGAR castes are prosperous throughout the State of Uttar Pradesh and constitute the Mid-Strata of the Village social structure. Their social conditions largely corresponds to their economic position, better than the schedule castes and nearer to the higher castes in respect of the social standings.The coalition AJGAR emerged prominently to gain political power in the state of Uttar Pradesh.^[7]

Basically, the AJGAR and MAJGAR fronts were raised as the new strategy to promote political polarization so as to develop political power for not only the development of particular beneficiary class group, but also to develop the defence mechanism.^[8]

Political outcome

The AJGAR formula devised and tried out by BKD/BLD/LD leaders had obviously failed to muster support from all its sections.^[9]

References