Yadav Not Wanted
How Yadav became Untouchables in the Caste Hierarchy of UP.
A few years ago, my family was in search of a rented house in Agra. With ample financial resources, we were capable of affording the rent of any decent apartment in the city. However, despite our assurances, we faced repeated rejections from brokers and house owners. It wasn't that they mistrusted us, but rather our family caste surname, which is Yadav.
These rejections left me feeling disgusted. As someone who never placed much importance on my surname, I couldn't help but wonder why they turned away from us upon hearing the word 'Yadav'. So, I asked my elder brother, "Bhaiya, what makes them treat us differently because of our Yadav surname?" He replied, "It's because these Baniyas and Pandits are envious of us Yadavs."
Is the jealousy towards Yadavs solely based on caste discrimination, or are there other complex factors involved? My mind is once again puzzled. Please correct my grammar if necessary.
The jealousy towards Yadavs goes beyond straightforward caste-based discrimination and has multiple layers to it. In many major cities in Uttar Pradesh, including Agra, posh residential towers are often dominated by communities with elite caste surnames such as Sharma, Shukla, and Agarwal. These elite caste groups often exhibit a reluctance to share neighborhoods with marginalized communities, including Yadavs. This kind of segregation is not limited to Agra, but can be found throughout Uttar Pradesh. The stereotypes and prejudice against Yadavs and Muslims are palpable, making it extremely challenging for them to find accommodation in upper-caste Hindu-dominated apartments.
Yadavs are also known as Gwalas, meaning "herdsman", and have traditionally been involved in cattle rearing. In the Varna system, pastoral communities like Yadavs were classified as Shudras. However, Yadavs are unique among Shudras as they have maintained a status as a martial class and have earned positions of power and influence. Despite this, the discrimination and bias against Yadavs persist, making it difficult for them to secure homes in upper-caste Hindu-dominated areas.
The Yadavs' martial class status is deeply rooted in their historical and cultural ancestry. According to Hindu mythology, Yadavs are believed to be the proud descendants of King Yadu, one of the Aryan kings mentioned in Hindu scriptures. The story of Yaduvansh, as mentioned in other Hindu texts like Mahabharata and Bhagwat Puran, narrates how Lord Krishna led Yaduvansh to its greatest splendor during the heydays of Dvapara Yuga. Lord Krishna remains an icon and a spiritual leader for Yadavs across North India, contributing to their sense of pride and identity.
The Kshatriya status of Yadavs is not just based on mythology, but also finds evidence in recorded history. Yadavs have had successful ruling dynasties, such as the Seuna Dynasty, also known as the Gavli Kings, who ruled parts of Maharashtra and North Karnataka in Medieval India. These stories of valor and pride have influenced the Kshatriya assertion among the Yadav community.
While casteism wasn't new to me, encountering it in educated and urban spaces was a stark realization. My consciousness about caste or jati is deeply ingrained in the socio-economic milieu I belong to. Coming from a backward region like Sambhal in Western UP, adjacent to the affluent Gangetic plains, I am acutely aware of caste sensibilities and the impact they have on social interactions and opportunities.
Nadhos, my ancestral village, is a stark example of caste divisions on the ground. Despite having residents from various castes, ranging from Brahmins to SC communities like the Jatavs, the village is characterized by segregated caste ghettos known as Mohallas. My family used to live in Yadav Mohalla before we moved to urban life.
Yadav Mohalla has always been a center of power in the village, mainly due to my family's political influence. My mother was elected as the Pradhan or Sarpanch of the village for ten consecutive years before the constituency was reserved for SC candidates.
The elections for the position of Pradhan under the Panchayati Raj system of local governance were highly competitive and often marred by malpractices such as booth capturing and voter coercion with alcohol. I used to accompany my mother on political campaigns when I was younger, and we would pass through the village's caste ghettos during the campaign trail. T
The vote bank was often divided along caste and loyalty lines. Interestingly, despite our family's political influence, due to intra-family political conflicts and rivalries, our Yadav Mohalla used to cast the fewest votes in favor of my mother.
During the 2000s, I often heard the expression "Abhi Yadavo ki Sarkar hai" which means "right now there is a Yadav Government". The term "Yadav Government" refers to a period in India's political history when backward castes like Yadav asserted themselves and succeeded in capturing power through the rise of socialist backward-caste leaders like Ram Manohar Lohiya, Mulayam Singh Yadav, and Lalu Prasad Yadav.
During the early 1990s, the politics of the backward classes became the focal point of Indian Politics. The implementation of the Mandal Commission and the Supreme Court Judgment in the Indira Sawhney Case sealed caste-based reservations for the backward classes like Yadav and Kurmi. The Yadavs were categorized as Other Backward Class (OBC).
Socialist leaders like Mulayam Singh and Lalu Yadav played a significant role in obtaining reservations for OBCs and instantly became icons of backward politics. They challenged the hegemony of the upper caste in the politics of densely populated states like Uttar Pradesh (UP) and Bihar, similar to how Periyar challenged the dominance of Brahmins in positions of power in Madras through the self-respect movement.
The rise of Yadav parties like Samajwadi Party and Rashtriya Janata Dal, and the OBC reservation brought back some glimpses of glory days for the Yadav community and uplifted them from the shackles of marginalization into power. The Yadav community, in return, wholeheartedly submitted their electoral loyalties and support to socialist parties like SP and RJD. The Yadavs soon became a loyal vote bank in the electoral map of UP and Bihar.
The phenomenal ascent of Yadavs into political power annoyed the higher castes, who responded by branding Yadav rule as "Gunda Raaj" or "Jungle Raaj" – lawless land in both UP and Bihar. The rest of the OBCs and Dalits also accused Yadavs of political hegemony, and the emergence of the backward classes was perceived as just the rising of the Yadavs. The Samajwadi Party was also accused of favoring Yadavs for government employment, such as in the police.
These accusations caught the public's imagination mainly due to the rise in crime, corruption, and concentration of wealth among a few Yadav families – all of which were facts of that time and ultimately resulted from the decline of socialist politics.
The rise of Narendra Modi and Hindutva further accelerated the decline of backward politics. In the 2017 elections, the BJP carried the narrative of "goonda raaj" and came into power with a thumping majority of more than 300 seats. Then, the ailing Mulayam Singh handed over the power to his son Akhilesh Yadav, who failed to live up to the legacy of his father.
Hindutva successfully broke the backbone of the politics of social justice and brought the assertion of Hindu unity among OBCs and Dalits. Yadavs, along with Muslims, are the only marginalized communities who refused to align with the BJP and remain a loyal vote bank of SP.
To conclude, my brother was right there a real jealousy against yadavs among upper castes. which stem from the Yadav dominance in political power. These anxieties of the sarvana class only made them to stereotyping of Yadavs as people with characteristics of Bahubali- a strongman with a criminal legacy.
Finally, we got a good, rented apartment belonging to someone who was a Thakur by caste. Thakurs are not shudras like Yadav, but they too stereotyped as rowdies in popular mainstream thanks to Bollywood movies, where the main villain was always a be Thakur man, Just like Thakur in movies the Yadavs are the villain character in the socio-political culture of UP. And as you know no one likes to live close to a villain.