New Delhi: The members of the Yaduvanshi Ahir community have been sitting on protests since February 4, near Kherki Daula toll plaza in Gurgaon. The demand is to introduce an Ahir regiment in the Indian Military force.

Ahead of the community’s proposed protest march on March 25, the Gurugram traffic police had to strengthen the security measures,  diverting the routes from Kherki Dhaulla toll to Hero Honda chowk of National Highway 48.

Due to the protest march, commuters were stuck for hours as the roads were spilled with heavy traffic, as the Gurugram Police tried to control the protestors.

Amid the pugnacious demand of formation of an Ahir Regiment in the Army, here we brought to you all the details you would need to know about recent protests.

Protest leaders and their demands

‘Sanyukt Ahir Regiment Morcha’, a group encompassing the leaders of the Ahir community from south Haryana, has organized the large-scale protests under its banner.

Earlier, similar protests were held in 2018, wherein the leaders of the community had sat on a hunger strike which had lasted for over 9 days and was only concluded after the assurances by the key politicians.

The indefinite protests by the community, which were organized after vast discussions with panchayat and block level leaders in parts of Haryana and Rajasthan, are expected to escalate in the coming days.

Indian Army consists of several caste-based regiments, and the protestors are demanding a separate regiment for their representation in the force.

Manoj Yadav, founder-member of the morcha said, “This is a demand for the rights for Yadavs across the country. The Ahir community has given sacrifices in all the wars and they have won several gallantry awards. In the battle of Rezang La in 1962, out of 120 casualties, 114 were Ahirs. It is unfortunate that Ahirs have not got the recognition like other communities”.

“The recruitment to President’s Bodyguard (PBG) is open only for Rajputs, Jats, and Sikh regiments. Just like there is a separate caste-based regiment for Sikhs, Gorkhas, Jaats, Garhwal, Rajputs, we demand the formation of an Ahir regiment in the army”, he added.

Support and Involvement of Political Groups

A separate regiment has been a long-standing demand by the Yadav community and has garnered support and involvement from leaders across party lines.

Yadav had claimed that for the rally on Wednesday, the morcha had invited several MPs and politicians from Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan, and other states.

Congress MP Deepender Hooda had also met the community leaders at the protest site to extend his support.