AHMEDABAD: The Ahir community on Friday submitted a representation to the Rajkot Collector, alleging that historical caste records had deprived its members of Other Backward Classes (OBC) benefits. The community warned that 10,000 people would gather for a religious conversion rally on December 28 if its demand for OBC certificates remained unresolved.
Jayanti Ahir, an ex-serviceman and author who led the representation, claimed that the community’s ancestors had refused to convert from Hinduism to Islam under Mughal rule nearly 450 years ago.
He alleged that the historical circumstances that shaped their caste identity continued to affect their descendants, leaving young people struggling to secure OBC certificates and access the benefits they believe they are entitled to.
“Our ancestors refused to abandon Hinduism, but their descendants are still paying the price,” Ahir said, alleging that the community had been subjected to centuries of injustice. He appealed to the state government and Hindu religious organisations to intervene before the dispute escalated into a mass protest.
According to Ahir, the dispute originated when 23 ancestors of the community were allegedly captured by Muslim invaders and subjected to coercion and atrocities intended to force them to embrace Islam. He claimed that they refused to surrender their religious identity despite the threats and persecution.
“Whether we live or die, we were born as Hindus, we shall die as Hindus, and our lineage shall remain Hindu,” Ahir quoted the ancestors as declaring. He alleged that their refusal angered the Mughal ruler, who subsequently imprisoned them.
Ahir further claimed that, during their imprisonment, the ancestors were assigned barbering duties, known as kshorkarma, on the grounds of their Nandvanshi lineage. He alleged that their release was linked to a punishment that burdened them with the supposed sins of killing a cow, a Brahmin, a child and a woman.
According to his account, the designation associated with their occupation continued through subsequent generations and remained reflected in official records until Independence. However, he argued that this historical identity later became a stumbling block for the community’s younger members seeking government recognition under the OBC category.
The central issue, he said, lies in the Gujarat government's 1978 resolution concerning the Bakshi Panch, which he interpreted as making eligibility for OBC benefits dependent on caste entries in official records predating April 1, 1978.
“Because our ancestors were identified in official documents as ‘Ahir Hajam’ or ‘Ahir Vanand’, our descendants are now facing difficulties obtaining OBC certificates,” Ahir alleged. He argued that the historical designation, which he said originated under coercive circumstances, was preventing the present generation from accessing benefits they believe should be available to them.
He claimed that the resulting administrative dispute had affected employment opportunities, including those of former military personnel. Citing one case, Ahir said a community member had returned after serving 17 years in the armed forces but was struggling to secure employment because he could not obtain an OBC certificate from the Gujarat government.
“A person who has served the country for 17 years should not have to struggle for recognition and employment because of an unresolved caste-record issue,” Ahir said, describing the case as an example of the difficulties faced by members of the community. He alleged that the individual had encountered no comparable difficulty under the Central Government but was unable to secure the benefits he sought in Gujarat.
Ahir estimated the community’s population at between 50,000 and 100,000 and questioned why its members continued to face what he described as historical injustice decades after Independence.
“If, even after 75 years of Independence, our community continues to suffer because of a punishment allegedly imposed by a ruler centuries ago, what does freedom mean for us?” he asked, demanding government intervention and a resolution to the certificate dispute.
The representation also carried an ultimatum. Ahir warned that if the grievance was not addressed, approximately 10,000 people would assemble at Jubilee Garden in Rajkot on December 28 for a religious conversion rally. He said the gathering would also submit a memorandum to the Collector.
“If justice is not delivered, 10,000 members of our community will gather on December 28 and be forced to consider religious conversion,” Ahir warned, presenting the proposed rally as a protest against what he described as prolonged discrimination.
He also appealed to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP), religious leaders and followers of Sanatan Dharma to support the community’s demand.
“We are Hindus and followers of Sanatan Dharma. Why should we continue to face injustice despite belonging to the same religious tradition?” he asked, urging these organisations to intervene and help secure a resolution before the proposed mobilisation.
The community’s demand now places the spotlight on the Gujarat government’s caste-record requirements, the interpretation of historical entries and the eligibility criteria governing OBC certificates.
The allegations made by Ahir and the community’s account of its historical origins have not been independently verified. The government’s response to the representation and the proposed December 28 rally remains to be established.
