New Enemy - Jats in Haryana

As per Census 2001, against overall national average of 16 percent SC in Haryana form 21 percent of population. Historically United Punjab, of which Haryana formed a part, did not have rabid untouchability of UP and Tamilnadu type. (Ibbetson 1883, repeated 1970:15). Despite the fact that Jats, as landowning majority could and did control the socio-economic structure. This was so because the social measurement scales applicable in United Punjab was not based on puritanical principle of Brahaminical orthodoxy. Rather it was based on landownership and martial strength. 

In such a situation of total domination, which Jats enjoyed, if they have still been comparatively more considerate to their less endowed compatriots then the credit must go to the ethics and traditions which mark Jat society. Traditionally Jat farmer has displayed a hightened sense of  social responsibility towards well being of their villages. Jajmani system, for all its flaws, was the best method of social security prevalent in rural Medieval India. Under Jajmani system Jats took responsibility for sharing their produce with those belonging to SC and BC, who in turn contributed labor during reaping of crops.

During pre-Partition era, United Punjab was one state where the electorate rejected both the Congress and Muslim League and opted for Unionists who placed economic well being ahead of caste or religion. This was result of long lasting harmony which marked relations between agrarian classes (Hindu Jats and Jat Sikh) and Muslim farmers of United Punjab. Even during cataclysmic upheaval of 1947 Harayana was marked by comparative peace. Post partition a large number of displaced Hindus coming from Pakistan made Haryana their home. Till date there has never been case of Jat discrimination against this community called 'Punjabis' and it has flourished and today forms some 20% of total population of Haryana. In fact a large number Found safe heaven in Haryana when they were hounded from Punjab during days of terrorism.

So it is bewildering, at least for a Jat, to see the SC and Punjabis of Haryana range themselves against Jats. As already brought out the Punjabis in Haryana are a successful community with more than their fair share in top end government jobs. Success of SC can be gauged from the fact that today Jat farmer depends on labor from UP and Bihar because SC of Haryana have moved to more paying professions and government jobs. Ahirs, that is Yadavs, have benefited the maximum from urbanization of Gurgaon-Rewari belt besides getting more than their share of government jobs. 

So why do these communities still resent Jats. Real reason is the political power Jats enjoyed by virtue of being largest (27%) segment of Haryana population and this rankled with these comparatively more successful communities!

Having succeeded in business and garnered major share of top end government jobs the Arora/Khatris who form 6% of Haryana population look at themselves as rightful claimant to the crown. Top leadership of Haryana BJP comes from this community with ML Khattar and Anil Vij being prominent faces

Ravidasis who are approximately 5.5% of Haryana population also form the largest segment of SC and have traditionally garnered overwhelming share of SC reservations and thus having gained economic salience are now looking to gain a larger share in political sphere. They look at Ms. Mayavati as their role model.

Ahirs, that is, Yadavs and Bishnois are small in number, being just around 4% and 2% of Haryana of population respectively. However being economically well off they have always sought larger share in government and their leaders have always been in forefront of anti-Jat consolidation, because both Bishnois and Ahirs look at Jats with a certain envy, roots of which lie in past positioning of caste hierarchy.

Sainis by themselves they are politically weak, being less than 3% of Haryana population, but their leader Raj Kumar Saini, who also happens to be a BJP MP is projecting himself as leader of OBCs of Haryana.

So-called upper castes like Rajput (3%), Brahaman (7%) and Banias (7%) who collectively form 17% have been most astute. They have traditionally retained presence in all political parties but have consolidated behind largest non-Jat grouping likely to win. Thereby they have remained part of every political dispensation to have ruled Haryana.

Ultimate aim of all of these communities is to gain political ascendancy and consequently many leaders from these communities and castes have for quite a few years been attempting anti-Jat consolidation. Those seeking proof need only revisit appointments made by non-Jat CMs like the very first one Bhagwat Dayal Sharma and later by Bhajan Lal. However their biggest success came with elections in 2015, when a Pan-Haryana consolidation of non-Jats saw BJP gaining absolute majority with 47 MLAs, of whom only six are Jats.

Not satisfied with electoral success the BJP wanted to create a permanent vote bank of non-Jats in Haryana. To achieve this aim they intentionally lost the case in Supreme Court, for Inclusion of Jats in OBC. Then they started playing a double game wherein on one hand, the top BJP leaders made promises of including Jats in central OBC list while on the other hand local BJP leaders like Raj Kumar Saini launched almost daily diatribe against the Jats and likes of Khattar and Vij stymied all attempts to works out a government sponsored solution.

Divisive politics of BJP was helped in no small measure by myopic Congress, who instead of playing the role of responsible opposition thought of fishing in troubled waters and played an active role in turning an essentially peaceful agitation in a violent upheaval. 

Today Haryana and by extension all the neighboring areas where Jats have a sizable presence are sitting on a communal tinderbox. In hands of shortsighted and greedy leaders it may turn into a permanent cleavage between Jats and non-Jats or if all parties show maturity then the recent upheaval can be used to start afresh to build a more equitable society where a community is not targeted only because it is self-reliant and self-confident and has traditionally carried its own weight.

It is not that Jats of Haryana are without any options. They must remember that only thing binding these large non-Jat communities is their resentment against Jats. But their weakness is mutually exclusive aims, wherein each wants to grab power for itself. So this non-Jat consolidation is doomed because of its inherent contradictions. On the other hand the Jats have a golden opportunity to group with those communities who have traditionally have had fairly good relations with Jats, namely, Tarkhan, Lohar and Nai (6.5%) and Mevs (4%) but have not benefited from reservations which have been cornered by likes of Ravidasis, Yadavs and Sainis. Remember with complete non-Jat consolidation during 2015, the BJP could get 47 seats. If Jats are able to consolidate with BCs like Tarkhans, Lohars, Nais, chhimbas etc and Mevs then with 40% of vote share they have a fairly good chance of winning a simple majority.