World Banjara Day celebrations: Association seeks uniform ST status for Banjaras across country, submits memorandum to govt
All India Banjara Seva Sangh chief K G Vanzara says community is considered STs in some states, SCs, OBCs and NT-DNT in others, says it will raise demand ‘emphatically’
Various persons from the community who made a mark in their respective fields were also felicitated on the occasion. A procession was carried out in Gandhinagar.
The All India Banjara Seva Sangh (AIBSS) led by former additional secretary in Gujarat K G Vanzara on Wednesday demanded Scheduled Tribe status to the Banjara community across the country.
“At some places (states), our community (Banjara) people are among Scheduled Tribes, at some places they are considered to be among Scheduled Castes, at some places they are considered to be among Other Backward Class and at some places they are considered as NT-DNT (nomadic tribes-denotified tribes). Therefore, we are going to make a representation to the Central government and Gujarat government…we have prepared a memorandum demanding to consider us among Scheduled Tribes in the entire country. We are going to make that demand emphatically,” Vanzara, national executive president of the AIBSS, said.
He was speaking at a function in Gandhinagar celebrating the World Banjara Day.
K G Vanzara’s two brothers – retired IPS officer D G Vanzara and member secretary of Gujarat Food Commission V G Vanzara – were also present at the function.
K G Vanzara said that as per an announcement by the United Nations Organisation, April 8 is being celebrated as the World Banjara Day. “The objective of the celebration is to keep the culture of the community alive and discuss their problems,” he said.
According to Vanzara, the total population of Banjara community in Gujarat is around 20 lakh. They fall under Other Backward Class communities in Gujarat.
During the function, various issues of the community were raised with a demand to the government to resolve the same.
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The other issues faced by the community, as discussed at the meet, included allotment of 100 square metre residential plots to those who are still without homes, issuance of caste certificate to Banjara community people as per the 2017 resolution of Gujarat government since they do not have records of three generations. The issue of Banjara people facing cases of land grabbing at places where they live was also discussed.
Vanzara, who has been raising the issues of the Banjara and other NT-DNT, stated that Banjara community people’s traditional occupation is sand mining and they should be given priority in giving lease for sand mining in the state as per the rules framed in 1988 by the state government.
Vanzara also said that there are around 800 step wells in Gujarat and around 300 of them were built by Banjara community people. He demanded that the government take measures to preserve these step-wells.
One of the demands raised at the event was allocation of residential units to people of the NT-DNT communities wherever their settlements were demolished. It was also demanded that the students of NT-DNT communities be given scholarships and freeship cards on the lines of the students of SC/ST communities.
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Speaking to The Indian Express, Vanzara said that the memorandum of their demands raised at the meeting was sent to the state government and central government.
During the meet, various resolutions were also passed to bring social reforms in the community. These resolutions were related to decreasing the expenses in rituals after death and spending at least 10% of the income for the welfare of the community. It was also resolved to get the community rid of evils such as addiction and superstition.
Various persons from the community who made a mark in their respective fields were also felicitated on the occasion. A procession was carried out in Gandhinagar.
Parimal A Dabhi works with The Indian Express as Chief of Bureau, focusing on the state of Gujarat. Leveraging his seniority and access, Dabhi is recognized for his reporting on the complex interplay of law, politics, social justice, and governance within the region.
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Core Authority (Social Justice and Law): Dabhi is a key source for in-depth coverage of caste-based violence, discrimination, and the state's response to social movements, particularly those involving Patidar, Dalit and OBC communities. His reporting focuses on the societal and legal fallout of these issues:
Caste and Discrimination: He has reported extensively on social boycotts and instances of violence against Dalits (such as the attack on a Dalit wedding party in Patan), the community's demands (like refusing to pick carcasses), and the political responses from leaders like Jignesh Mevani.
Judicial and Legal Affairs: He tracks significant, high-stakes legal cases and judgments that set precedents in Gujarat, including the convictions under the stringent Gujarat Animal Preservation Act (cow slaughter), 2002 Gujarat riots and developments in cases involving former police officers facing charges of wrongful confinement and fake encounters.
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State Assembly Proceedings: He frequently reports directly from the Gujarat Assembly, covering Question Hour, discussion on various Bills, debates on budgetary demands for departments like Social Justice, and ministerial statements on issues like illegal mining, job quotas for locals, and satellite-based farm loss surveys.
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