It is really hard to tell if their claim that they are a tribe and, therefore, should get a 5 per cent reservation is justified. What is true is that the majority of the Gujjars in Rajasthan are desperately poor. Gujjars say their lifestyle and that of the Meenas is identical. Yet, one group enjoys the privileges of being Scheduled Tribe while the other is denied. The Meenas own nearly 60 per cent of the total land. The Gujjars constitute 7 to 8 per cent of the Rajasthans population and are under-represented in the defence services, the bureaucracy and the services sector. No Gujjar has ever been appointed member of the Rajasthan Public Service Commission, vice chancellor or judge of the Rajasthan High Court. Gujjars, which are also known as Gurjars, come under Other Backward Classes (OBC) in Rajasthan. They have a major presence in Dausa, Sawai Madhopur, Karauli and Bharatpur districts. Unlike few other states, the Gujjars of Rajasthan do not enjoy economic and political clout as f ...more