Explained: Why the Ahir community is demanding a separate regiment in the Indian Army

People travelling on the Delhi-Gurgaon Expressway will have a tough time — traffic jams and diversions — owing to the Ahir community staging a protest at Kherki Daula toll plaza on National Highway 48 (NH-48) to press for their demand for a separate regiment in the Indian Army.

In light of the nine-hour protest, the Gurugram traffic police has issued a traffic advisory, stating that the entire 14.8 km section of NH-48 will be closed for traffic from 8 am to 5 pm on Friday.

In its advisory, the authorities said on Thursday, “The traffic flow may get affected tomorrow in the wake of Ahir regiment demand protest near Kherki Daula toll. Therefore, all commuters and travellers are requested to follow alternative routes for tomorrow.”

#TrafficAdvisory :- Important Traffic Advisory for Tomorrow (18th November 2022)*#TrafficUpdate@gurgaonpolice @dcptrafficggm@IGtraffic_hry @police_haryana pic.twitter.com/GdauRBdYjs

— Gurugram Traffic Police (@TrafficGGM) November 17, 2022

“Those coming from Jaipur to Delhi may take diversion from Pachgaon and follow KMP for Delhi and other areas. Those commuting from Manesar to Gurugram or Delhi may follow U-turn from Givo cut near Kherki Daula toll and take SPR to Golf course extension route. Those travelling from Gurugram or Delhi to Jaipur may take a diversion route from Rajiv chowk to Sohna and then KMP route. Similarly, those commuting from Gurugram to Jaipur may take a diversion from Hero Honda chowk to Pataudi road and then further,” it read further.

As commuters gear up for a rough day, we try to understand what are the demands of the people who are protesting, what support have they garnered and a clear understanding of the history behind the caste-based regiments in the Indian Army.

What is the Ahir Regiment and the people behind it?

The demand for the Ahir Regiment is not a new one.

The people of South Haryana, popularly known as the Ahirwal region, have long been demanding for a separate regiment within the Indian Army.

In 2018, under the aegis of the 'Sanyukt Ahir Regiment Morcha', the group comprising of people from the Ahir community had staged a hunger strike for nine days for their demands to be met. The agitation had ended when they had received assurances from politicians that their demand for an Ahir Regiment would be looked into.

Social activist Pravin Ram, who belongs to the Ahir community, had told Indian Express in 2018 that the demand for an Ahir Regiment was a legitimate one and that the history of the Indian Army is full of valour of the Ahir community and Battle of Rezang La with Chinese troops in 1962 is a golden example of the same.

In the battle of Rezang La in 1962, out of 120 casualties, 114 were Ahirs.

#ahir_regiment_protest
⚔We want ahir regiment and it's our rights ⚔
Jai dada Krishna