Past v/s present

[Satyendra Singh]

Rabbani chechi is econimically not sound. I have reasonable doubt whether he will be able to consolidate Gujar votes who are in great numbers after delimitation because Mahuwa and Thanagaji assembly seats are now part of it (which were not at the time of Pilot).

Sukhveer Jaunpuriya would had been in a much better position if he managed BSP ticket...........In Loksabha elections it is very difficult to win as an "independent" ..........!

[singh]

Publication: Times Of India Jaipur; Date:2009 Apr 21; Section:Dance Of Democracy; Page Number 4
Gujjar-Meena clash likely here



Rao Jaswant Singh | TNN



Sawai Madhopur: A possible Gujjar-Meena clash is an ominous possibility in this region, as leaders of the two communities are pitted against each other in the newly-carved constituency of Tonk-Sawai Madhopur.
While Congress has fielded Union minister of state for forests and environment, Namonarain Meena, the BJP has nominated Gujjar strongman, Kirori Singh Bainsla. And, people in the region fear that with heat mounting for the polls, the two communities may once again clash in their age-old war for one-upmanship.
“Clashes are bound to happen, mainly in the areas where two castes are living side by side,” said Sitaram Meena, Niwai block Congress president. He said both castes were equally sceptical of each other and have prepared accordingly. The administration’s move to get arms deposited was too little to contain possible skirmishes, he said. “Only licensed weapons are being deposited but the region has huge presence of unlicensed arms,” he said.
Har Sahai Meena, a panchayat representative from Bhauli in Sawai Madhopur, said that their candidate, Namonarain, was already in the
driving seats and had emerged a hot favourite, more so after the support extended by the community leader, Kirorilal Meena. “Gujjars may restrain Meena voters from casting votes in the villages dominated by them,” he added.
Similar apprehensions were expressed by Gujjars concentrated in the Gangapur area of Sawai Madhopur. “Gujjars have always struggled for their rightful demands but Meenas feel threatened and are envious of our community growth,” said Ram Kishor Gujjar of Gangapur village. The constituency has over 2.80 lakh Meena voters and Gujjars are over 1.75 lakh in the constituency. In several villages they are living together but never see eye-to-eye.
Villages like Gangapur, Malada, Chauth ka Bharawada and Baretha are most sensitive with equal presence of two castes. Interestingly, the EC norms, which necessitate depositing of legal arms has hardly any takers as sources said that 25% voters are still to comply with the norms. This in addition to the fact that illegal arms are also present in the region.
Ram Narain Meena, a local Congress leader said that after nomination of Kirori Singh Bainsla from Tonk-Sawai Madhopur constituency, the possibility of clash between two communities cannot be ruled out. Speaking about arms, he said, “People have deposited their legal weapons but what about country-made pistols and other illegal arms?”
Another Congress supporter from Bhauli tehsil said that there are around 260 licensed arms in the tehsil but hardly 150 have been deposited till date. “There are hundreds of illegal arms in the tehsil, which police are not aware of,” he said and added that if the clash occurs, it would be very difficult for the police to prevent causalities.
SP, Sawai Madhopur, Vishal Bansal said, “strict measures are being taken and extensive search operations are going on besides extended patrolling in the sensitive areas. Police have seized several illegal arms during the raids conducted and operations are still going on.”

[singh]

Publication: Times Of India Jaipur; Date:2009 Apr 22; Section:Front Page; Page Number 1
CASTE DIVIDE WIDENING IN THE STATE


Loyal to caste, not party



Gujjars Put Up United Front, Ready To Forgive BJP


Akhilesh Kumar Singh & Rao Jaswant Singh | TNN



Kusalipura Darra (Sawai Madhopur): When it comes to caste, even party lines can blur.
A day after Kirorilal Meena decided to bury the hatchet and came out in support of arch-rival Namonarain Meena, the Gujjar-Meena caste divide appeared to harden, with the Gujjars now determined to put up a united front against the Meenas. Even if that meant supporting Kirori Singh Bainsla — the BJP candidate from Tonk-Sawai Madhopur — who had then led their agitation against the Vasundhara Raje-led BJP government which led to the killing of some 70 members of their community in police firing last year.
But while the Gujjars appeared willing to forgive BJP and back Bainsla because he was from their caste, prominent BJP leader from the area, Jaskaur Meena, was not keen to come out in support of her party nominee for fear of angering her community, the Meenas, who have this age-old rivalry with the Gujjars.
This has not gone unnoticed by the locals. “Why is Jaskaur Meena not coming out openly in support of Bainsla in Tonk-Sawai Madhopur?” asks Brajram Gujjar, sitting at the Kusalipura Darra tri-circle, 15 km from Sawai Madhopur town. It was at Kusalipura Darra where two Gujjars had been killed in police firing on May 30 last year when the agitation turned violent. The two killed were Kanhaiya and Radhe Shyam. And Brajram is a cousin of Radhe Shyam.
Jaskaur Meena was elected MP from Sawai Madhopur in 1999. Even on Tuesday morning, Bainsla went to her home in front of the Ranthambore National Park office, urging her to support him. This, however, did not yield any result.

With Bainsla’s rise, Gujjars can fight for rights


Kusalipura Darra (Sawai Madhopur): The Gujjar-Meena caste divide appears to harden, with the Gujjars now determined to put up a united front against the Meenas.
While Gujjars appeared willing to forgive BJP and back Bainsla because he was from their caste, prominent BJP leader from the area, Jaskaur Meena, was not keen to come out in support of her party nominee for fear of angering her community, the Meenas, who have this age-old rivalry with the Gujjars.
“This is their attitude. This caste (read Meena) is over-possessed with 12-bigha (12% reservation in ST category),” says Brajram, who justifies why he had forgiven BJP, even though his brother was killed during the BJP regime. “My brother is gone but we have to survive and even minute chinks in our unity can give Meenas an upperhand, which will make life hell for us,” he added.
A villager, Radhe Shyam Gujjar, says if a Meena always votes a Meena so why shouldn’t a Gujjar do the same? “Look at Kirorilal. He has supported Namonarain. When Kirorilal was in BJP, Meenas voted them, but they are voting Congress now as Kirorilal has changed sides. So their loyalty rests with the community and not with any political forum.”
Villagers looked uninfluenced by chief minister Ashok Gehlot’s recent remarks that Bainsla’s candidature had exposed Vasundhara Raje-Bainsla conspiracy behind the Gujjar agitation. They feel Bainsla’s elevation will give them more teeth to fight for their rights on a larger platform. “Lots of blood has been shed. Now, we are thinking of fighting for our rights in a concerted way,” says Dharmraj Gujjar, a villager in Gangapur area. He also pointed out that Bainsla had already managed 4% reservation for Gujjars in the state and it was at Congress behest that the Governor was not signing the bill. “Moreover, Bainsla is the only leader who can counter the likes of Kirorilal and the Meenas,” added Dharmraj.
Prahlad Gunjal, who returned to BJP on Monday, said, “I’m confident the Gujjars will get due respect in BJP as other parties have not showed any interest in it’s welfare.”

[singh]

Publication: Times Of India Jaipur; Date:2009 Apr 24; Section:Dance Of Democracy; Page Number 4
NDA to implement reservation Bill if elected



TIMES NEWS NETWORK



Jaipur: The state Bharatiya Janata party (BJP) on Thursday announced that if the NDA comes to power in the Centre, it will ensure that the pending Bill which promises reservations on economic background and to certain backward castes, including Gujjars, is implemented.
BJP national treasurer and chairman of the state election campaign committee, Ramdas Agarwal, said on Thursday that if the NDA comes to power, the party will ensure that the governor signs the pending Bill. “If not, we will replace the governor,’’ said Agarwal, while addressing a press conference at the state headquarters.
Reacting to chief minister Ashok Gehlot’s statement that the BJP had cheated the Gujjars, Agarwal said that it was the Congress which was playing games with the community.
“The former BJP government’s decision to provide reservations to Gujjars was supported by the Congress but the governor sent the Bill to cold storage. If they really cared about the Gujjar community, the Congress should immediately get the governor to clear the Bill, the model code of conduct will not apply here. I challenge them to do that,’’ said Agarwal.
When asked about BJP’s decision to allot a ticket to Kirori Singh Bainsla, he denied that there were any pending cases against Bainsla.
When told that the former BJP government had laid charges against him, he said, “All have been withdrawn. Gujjars have a right to have a political say, after all there are about 35 lakh Gujjars in the state.’’
Agarwal alleged that the Congress, in its campaign, was avoiding talking on this major issues and generally made allegations against BJP.
“Inflation, terrorism, speaking of Rajasthan, reservations; these are the issues that the Congress should have answers for,’’ said Agarwal, adding that with its allies were parting ways, the UPA’s structure was falling apart like a pack of cards.
“There should not be a debate on bringing back black money from the Swiss bnks, like the Congress is doing,’’ he said, alleging that the Congress was deliberately raking up a debate to give the investors time to withdraw the money from the banks.
The senior leader promised a responsible campaign. Hitting out at AICC president Sonia Gandhi and her remark that L K Advani is a slave of RSS, Agarwal said that this showed Gandhi’s poor knowledge of Hindi language. “She probably does not know what ‘gulam’ means and hence she must have made such a derogatory remark,’’ he said.
Talking about the scenario in Rajasthan, Agarwal said the BJP is hopeful that it would win more seats than it got last time.
“I am hopeful we will cross the 21-mark,’’ he said.

[Tanwar]

Apr 16, 2009 19:55:50 GMT 5.5 @Satyendra Singh said:

Rabbani chechi is econimically not sound. I have reasonable doubt whether he will be able to consolidate Gujar votes who are in great numbers after delimitation because Mahuwa and Thanagaji assembly seats are now part of it (which were not at the time of Pilot).

Sukhveer Jaunpuriya would had been in a much better position if he managed BSP ticket...........In Loksabha elections it is very difficult to win as an "independent" ..........!

What I have gathered from the news is that Qamar Rabbani Chechi is doing well. The main fight is between Qamar and Kirori Lal Meena and Congress and BJP candidates are sidelined. It is reported that Qamar is getting a good support from other comunitiies as well since every community there is suffering from Meena syndrome. Others are not able to confront them openly but are supporting Gujjar candidate Qamar Rabbani Chechi.

Sukhbeer Singh Jaunpuria is also doing well as per news reports since his opponents selected from Natioanl parties are much weaker.

[Gujjar Chechi]

It is said that once Gujjar Chechis ruled over Chechanya in Central Asia during the days of Gujjar Kushan ( Gujjars of Kasana Gotra) Empire.
Qamar Rabbani Chechi is one of them whose Imperial descendents must have moved from Rajasthan and Malwa region to rule Chechanya region. Now he is back is fighting the electoral battle to take up the issue of all the castes including Gujjars in the homeland of his ancestors.

I wish him good luck.

Here is the story as published in Times of India:-
DAUSA: As the poll date comes closer the caste divide looks clear in the tribal reserved seat of Dausa. It is the only one among the 25 seats in the
state where the major party candidates are finding it tough to combat the presence of strong Independents. The BJP and the Congress are unlikely to be rescued in this battle by their own "Ram" or "Lakshman."

Ram Kishor Meena, former minister in Vasundhara Raje government the BJP candidate and Lakshman Meena, the Congress candidate are finding the going tough as no one talks about the policies of these two national parties. The Independents -- Kirorilal Meena and Qamar Rabbani Chechi, a Gujjar from Kashmir, who enjoys the tribal status -- are emerging as the main rivals.

"In Dausa, it is almost certain that its going to be Meena versus Chechi. Just before the poll date all the 3.25 lakh Meenas would consolidate their support in favour of Doctor Sahib (Kirorilal) and both Ram Kishor and Lakshman Meena would be fighting to save their security deposits. Only the Meena community would vote for the Meena while the Gujjars and all other community would vote for Chechi. It is nothing but a fight for supremacy and the non-Meena are hell-bent to prove that a non-Meena could win and Dausa should not become a domain of the Meenas," said Ramesh Nath of Kalakho village, about 18 km from Dausa, who work as an autorickshaw driver in Jaipur and was on holiday in his village. Nath sad he would return to the village on the night of May 6 to cast his vote.

Mamta, who was hearing the campaign speech of Kirorilal under the shade of the tree said when Kirori flew in a helicopter to address rally of 1,000 people said she is yet to decide whom to vote. She belongs to the Berwa (scheduled caste ) community. But a policeman on poll duty hinted that not only she, but her entire family would vote against the Meena. "Its simple, it's the Dalits who face the wrath of the Meenas most," said the cop, a Gujjar.

Kirori's election spending remained unmatched and as one drives from Dausa to Manadawar one could see his posters and banners all over. Chechi obviously suffers from lack of resources and only in small towns one could see his posters. But despite resources both Ram Kishor and Lakshman Meena have not been able to muster the support of their party workers.

"Meenas are both in Congress and in BJP, but as the mighty Kirori is an Independent candidate, the committed party workers are keeping themselves away as Kirori's supporters would rough them up. In this constituency its certainly going to be Kirori versus Chechi. The Gujjars have effected a masterstroke by fielding Chechi and now other castes have an option to vote. We know Chechi is a rank outsider, but why is there the dominance of Meena only," asks Dharmendra Nath Jaiman, a stationary shop opener.

A Gujjar supporter of Chechi said it has been a trend in Dausa, even when it was a general seat and the seat was represented by Nawal Kishor Sharma, Rajesh Pilot, Nathu Singh, Rama Pilot and Sachin Pilot, that in Meena-dominated areas the Meena community would capture the booth and cast their votes in favour of their candidates and in Gujar-dominated villages the Gujjars did exactly the same.

"Rajesh Pilot used to have friends in both communities and he would get his job done through his friends. But this time there is a clear caste divide and we fear clashes and large-scale booth capturing in this sensitive constituency," said Bashir Mistri, an auto mechanic.

Bashir said there are 70,000 to 80,000 Muslims and most of them would caste their vote in favour of Chechi. Thus, in a constituency of 13 lakh voters if the 3.50 lakh Meena voters are kept out of calculation, Chechi, as he enjoys an edge over others in non-Meena community, could effect a surprise. But Bashir also makes it clear that Kirori also has friends in other castes as he has been in politics for 25 years now and "people know about his sacrifices also."

Looking at the trend in Dausa the speculators in Jaipur have started putting their money on Kirorilal and Chechi and surely Chechi enjoys an edge.

[Gujjar News]

Srinagar, May 4: Dr Shahid Iqbal Choudhary, a veterinary surgeon-turned-IFS officer has been selected for the coveted Indian Administrative Service (IAS) by the Union Public Service Commission, based on the Civil Services Examination 2008 the result of which was declared on Monday. He scored All India 51 rank to get IAS in open merit.
Hailing from Rehan, a chronically downtrodden village in Budhal tehsil of Rajouri district, Dr Shahid is the first Gujjar ever to have been selected for IAS from Jammu and Kashmir. He has remained a meritorious student throughout his career and got many awards.
Presently working as the divisional forest officer, Srinagar, Dr Shahid was selected for Indian Forest Service (IFS) in 2005 batch and allotted to Jammu and Kashmir cadre. An alumnus of Sher-i-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Jammu, Dr Shahid completed his BVSC & AH degree in 2005. He has served as ACF Poonch and DFO Working Plan before joining as DFO in Srinagar later last year.
The 28-year old Dr Shahid is the proud son of a revenue officer, Aslam Din Choudhary and his mother Shamim Akhtar Choudhary.

[satyendra]

THE SACRIFICE GIVEN BY THE 71 GUJARS OF RAJASTHAN WILL NOT GO WAISTE.......??

Publication: Times Of India Jaipur; Date:2009 Jun 07; Section:Front Page; Page Number 1
Meenas agree to support 5% special quota for Gujjars



TIMES NEWS NETWORK



Jaipur: In June last year, the Vasundhara Raje government announced a 5% reservation for Gujjars under a special category. Exactly a year later, the Meena community, which has never made peace with the Gujjars and violently protested their demand for ST status, announced they would not oppose the 5% reservation.
Meena leader and Dausa MP Kirorilal Meena made the announcement on Saturday during a meeting organised by the state government. The meeting was called to get the two communities to reach a compromise. According to sources, while the Meenas agreed not to oppose the 5% special reservation on the condition that Gujjars would not press for ST status, the Gujjar leaders, including Col Kirori Singh Bainsla, did not seem much impressed.
Bainsla, the Gujjar Arakashn Sangarh Samiti convener, told TOI that “the government is not committed”. “It says it will examine the bill, which is only a delaying tactic. There is no time frame.” Bainsla is reportedly under tremendous pressure from his community to get the bill cleared.
On the other hand, Meenas are believed to have agreed to lend support out of sheer “good will”. According to a senior government officer, “Meenas don’t have much to lose. Politically, they are now stronger than the Gujjars after winning two Lok Sabha seats. They are only trying to be politically correct while at the same time ensuring their pie remains intact.” The Meenas’ empathy for the Gujjars is being considered a tactical move by the community’s leaders. First, it will earn them the goodwill of the ordinary Gujjars.
Secondly, they have nothing to lose as the 5% reservation is in a special category and won’t eat into their ST quota. According to Meena leaders, the Gujjars who sacrificed 71 lives in the last two years, agitating for ST status, have nothing to show except a bill gathering dust in the Raj Bawan promising them 5% reservation in state services. The bill which exceeds the 50% reservation cap is, however, subject to legal scrutiny.
Kirorilal said, “Both the communities have suffered a lot during the reservation agitation. It is better for government to make its position clear instead of some vested interests misleading the Gujjars.”

[singh]

Printed from
The Times of India
Mishra panel rebukes govt for not deleting well-off castes from OBC list
Subodh Ghildiyal, TNN, Dec 19, 2009, 03.25am IST

NEW DELHI: In what may raise eyebrows of OBC satraps, the Rangnath Mishra Commission report has slammed the government's timidity to purge the OBC list of castes which have ceased to be "backward", a decennial exercise enshrined in the National Commission for Backward Classes Act.

The failure to exclude castes from the OBC list has led to a sharp increase in number of OBCs — provocation for Mishra panel to slam "political considerations" and "vested interests in remaining backward" for distortion of the system.

The purging of OBC list is a sensitive issue which saw the government plump for status quo when Mandal Commission completed 10 years in 2003 and the first exclusion exercise was to be taken up. Citing inclusion of Jats and Vokkaligas in OBC list as examples of "political compulsions", the report said "non-exclusion of ineligible" castes has hurt genuine backward groups.

If the report's comments threaten to touch a faultline in backward politics, its recommendation for 8% subquota for minorities within 27% OBC quota is a testing proposition too. The panel has suggested the measure for increasing representation of minorities in government jobs.

While minorities form part of the OBC list, it is argued that they are unable to compete with `general' OBCs, who are better equipped educationally to take advantage of quota. Of the 8% subquota, 6% is to be earmarked for Muslims in keeping with their share in minority population.

An 8% subquota would shrink the playground for `general OBCs' to 19%, which may not be liked by existing beneficiaries. However, a strong reason why the subquota may still be accepted by OBC champions of "secular" hue is the fear that their opposition may send a wrong message among minorities.

Minority affairs minister Salman Khursheed said he was working on the quota-within-quota proposal as is followed in Kerala, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.

The move, however, is set to come under attack from BJP which has decided tomobilise opinion against Mishra panel, especially its recommendation that SC status be extended to dalit converts among minorities like Christians and Muslims.

The recommendation, to be achieved through a constitutional amendment, is opposed by the RSS-BJP combine which feels that extending dalit status to religious converts would encourage conversions. The National Commission for SCs has also opposed the move.

The intricate issue is likely to test the Centre which feels the demand from strong sections of Muslims and Christians is politically sensitive. The Mishrareport was tabled in Parliament on Friday.

The commission recommended that owing to their poor socio-economic condition. minorities be given 15% quota in central and state jobs. However, it added that in case of difficulty in implementing the suggestion, the government should move for quota-within-OBC quota route.

[satyendra]

Can the Gujars of NCR take initiative to represent before the Central Govt as an all party delegation in support of demand of reservation by Rajasthan Gujars.....?

At the same time the political parties should be pressurised to nominate Gujars at diiferent levels in various commissions/ Rajya-sabha....etc.