Jat Mahasabha

All India Jat Mahasabha

अखिल भारतीय जाट महासभा
Abbreviation	AIJM
Formation	1907
Founders	Sir Chhotu Ram, Kunwar Hukum Singh Angai, and others
Founded at	Garhmukteshwar, Uttar Pradesh
Purpose	Jat upliftment
Headquarters	39, Ber Sarai, Hauz Khas, New Delhi

The All India Jat Mahasabha, formerly All India Jat Kshatriya Mahasabha, is a non-profit and non-political organisation of Jats in India. Founded in 1907 to advance the social, economic, and political interests of the Jat community. Established at the Garhmukteshwar in the United Provinces (now Uttar Pradesh), it emerged during a period of growing social reform and national consciousness, influenced by the Arya Samaj.^[1] The Mahasabha has focused on promoting education, unity, and socio-economic welfare among Jats, particularly in Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab, Delhi, and Rajasthan. Through initiatives like the Jat Gazette, educational institutions, and support for peasant movements, it has played a significant role in empowering the Jat community and advocating for their rights in colonial and post-independence India.^[2]

Foundation and early years (1907–1920)

The All India Jat Mahasabha, formerly named the All India Jat Kshatriya Mahasabha, was founded in 1907 at the Garhmukteshwar in the United Provinces (present-day Uttar Pradesh), not in Muzaffarnagar as some sources incorrectly suggest. The idea for its formation was conceived at a Jat Ashram in Muzaffarnagar, reflecting the growing social consciousness among Jats influenced by reformist movements like the Arya Samaj. Raja Datt Prasad Singh (Aligarh district) was elected as the first president, with Kunwar Hukam Singh (Mathura district), an Arya Samajist, serving as the first secretary. The inclusion of “Kshatriya” in the name emphasised the Jats’ claim to a higher social status, aligning with their historical self-perception as warriors and landowners.^[1]

Chhotu Ram, one of the founding member of Jat Mahasabha

The Mahasabha’s early objectives were centered on social reform and community upliftment. These included:

• Promoting education through schools, hostels, scholarships, and loans for Jat students.

• Fostering unity and mutual love within the Jat community, eradicating social evils, and reviving traditional rites.

• Establishing panchayats to resolve disputes and reduce litigation.

• Advancing agricultural education and economic welfare through banks and trading institutions.

• Protecting the political rights of Jats and creating alliances with other peasant and rural castes.

During its initial phase (1907–1920), the Mahasabha focused on building an organizational network and addressing educational and cultural issues. By 1912, it had established branches in Aligarh, Mathura, Agra, Meerut, Muzaffarnagar, Bulandshahr, Moradabad, Bijnor, and Delhi Province. In Rohtak, Haryana, Sir Chhotu Ram, a pivotal Jat leader, founded the Jat Sabha in 1912 and established institutions like the Jat Arya Vedic Sanskrit High School. The Mahasabha also launched the Jat Gazette in 1916, a weekly journal that became its mouthpiece, advocating for Jat unity, education, and the abolition of social practices like child marriage and cow slaughter. ^[1]

Educational initiatives were a cornerstone of this period. The Mahasabha, often in collaboration with the Arya Samaj, supported the establishment of Jat schools, gurukuls, and boarding houses. A popular slogan, “The Jat who does not help the Jat school is not a Jat,” underscored the community’s commitment to education as a means to overcome backwardness and exploitation.^[1]

Later pre-independent years (1920 - 1947)

Support for British War Efforts and Congress Involvement

During World War I, the Jat community, under Mahasabha leaders like Chhotu Ram and Chaudhary Lal Chand, supported British recruitment efforts. In Rohtak, Jat recruitment rose from 6,245 in January 1915 to 22,144 by November 1918, earning British goodwill. The Jat Gazette published patriotic poems urging Jat youth to join the war effort, emphasizing their warrior heritage.^[3]

Chhotu Ram briefly aligned with the Indian National Congress, serving as president of the Rohtak Congress Committee in 1917. He supported the Satyagraha movement in 1919, advocating non-violence. However, he resigned from Congress in November 1920, opposing the Non-Cooperation movement. He argued that mass non-cooperation, including defiance of laws and tax non-payment, would lead to violence and chaos, which he believed was detrimental to the interests of the rural peasantry. His resignation also reflected tensions with Congress’s urban and commercial leadership, which he felt neglected rural concerns.^[4]

Governor Malcolm Hailey addressed the Jat Mahasabha in 1930.^[5]

Pushkar Conference (1925)

The 18th conference of the Mahasabha, held in Pushkar, Ajmer-Merwara, in October 1925, was a landmark event. Presided over by Maharaja Kishan Singh of Bharatpur, a chief patron of the Jat community, the conference was strategically held in British-administered territory to avoid restrictions in the princely states of Rajputana. Attended by Jats from Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, and Delhi.^[6]

The conference emphasised social and economic reforms, advocating education, women’s upliftment, and the eradication of social evils like bride price and child marriage. Maharaja Kishan Singh’s speech highlighted the Jat community’s historical valor and Kshatriya identity, boosting communal pride. The release of Jat Sudhar by Rattan Singh, a book dedicated to community improvement, served as a manifesto, urging Jats to pursue education and shuddhi (purification). The conference also inspired the publication of K.R. Qanungo’s History of the Jats, which linked Jats to the Yadavas and Lord Krishna, reinforcing their Kshatriya status and historical pride.^[7]

Peasant movements in Shekhawati

Jat Mahasabha extended its influence into Rajasthan during the mid-1920s, with a notable but short-lived presence in the Shekhawati region. In 1925, the organization established an outpost in the area, marking its early efforts to organize and support the Jat community amidst growing social and political awareness. This initiative coincided with the recruitment of Sardar Harlal Singh, who emerged as the most prominent Jat leader in Shekhawati and remained an active member of the Mahasabha. During 1920s, the Maharaja of Bharatpur Kishan Singh, joined the organization and assumed the presidency, lending significant royal patronage and elevating the Mahasabha’s stature in the region.^[8]

The Mahasabha also sought to broaden its base by forming the AJGAR Sabha, a coalition comprising Ahir, Jat, Gurjar, and Rajput communities, aimed at uniting peasant castes across Rajasthan. However, its influence waned by 1929, when many Shekhawati Jats withdrew their support, perceiving the organization as a tool of British authorities to maintain the status quo. This perception was fueled by the conservative stance of its leadership, which included figures such as Chaudhry Hariram Singh, a zamindar and government official from the United Provinces; Kunwar Hukum Singh, a zamindar from Mathura; Thakur Jawan Singh, an advocate from Aligarh; Chhotu Ram from Hariyana; and Raja Raghuvir Singh, a wealthy Jat Sikh from Punjab. This disillusionment marked the decline of the Mahasabha’s direct role in Rajasthan, as local Jat leaders increasingly turned to independent Kisan Sabhas, such as the Shekhawati Kisan Sabha, to address feudal oppression and advocate for reform.^[8]

Post-independence India (1947–present)

After India’s independence in 1947, the Mahasabha’s focus shifted to adapting its agenda to the new democratic and constitutional framework. While pre-independence efforts centered on social reform and anti-feudal struggles, post-independence activities emphasized political representation, education, and economic empowerment within a secular and democratic India. The Mahasabha continued to promote Jat unity, support educational institutions, and address contemporary challenges faced by the community, such as reservation policies and agricultural issues.

The Jat Mahasabha spearheaded the community's struggle for reservation in the run-up to the Lok Sabha elections in 1999. Sardar Dara Singh was the president, followed by patron Chaudhary Ajay Singh (Former High Commissioner to Fiji).^[9][10]

Jat Mahasabha is a non political, social organisation. It is organized for the purpose of social reconstruction. Although the Jat Mahasabha is not a registered body, not even as an NGO or social organisation.^[11]

The centenary celebration of the Jat Mahasabha was held in 2007. It included notable figures such as Dharmendra, Dara Singh, and Kamal Patel.^[12]

In June 2025 the Uttar Pradesh Yogi Adityanath government has approved the celebration of ‘Agra Vijay Diwas’ at Agra Fort, commemorating the capture of the fort by Maharaja Surajmal of Bharatpur on 12 June 1761. The Jat community has observed this event as Vijay Diwas for many years.^[13] The All Bharat Jat Mahasabha has been requesting for three years that the Uttar Pradesh government permit this celebration at Agra Fort. The state’s Tourism and Culture Ministry has been assigned to organize the event, which will take place at the historic site for the first time.^[14][15]

State mahasabha’s

The All India Jat Mahasabha has a network of state-level wings to address local issues. Some of these state units are given below.

Rajasthan Jat Mahasabha

Rajasthan Jat Mahasabha current president is Raja Ram Meel.^[16]

Chandigarh Jat Mahasabha

Chandigarh Jat Mahasabha current president is Dr. Mohinder Singh Malik^[17]

Uttar Pradesh Jat Mahasabha

Uttar Pradesh Jat Mahasabha current president is Chaudhary Aman Singh^[18]

Jammu and Kashmir Jat Mahasabha

Jammu and Kashmir Jat Mahasabha current president is Chaudhary Manmohan Singh^[19]

Notable presidents

• Dara Singh, Indian professional wrestler and actor
• Ajay Singh, Indian politician and diplomat
• Capt. Amarinder Singh, former chief minister of Punjab
• Gyan Prakash Pilania, former DGP of Rajasthan

See also

• Jat Gazette
• Jat people
• Jat Regiment

References

1. Sharma, Brij Kishore (2008). Social, Economic and Political Contribution of Caste Associations in Northern India: A Case Study of All India Jat Mahasabha. Har Anand Publications. pp. 78–79. ISBN 978-8124114124. Retrieved 2 July 2019.
2. Datta, Nonica (1999). Forming an Identity: A Social History of the Jats. Oxford University Press. p. 76. ISBN 978-0195647198. Retrieved 2 July 2019. Newspapers like the Jat Gazette and Chattri portrayed Jats as a unified entity
3. Yadav, Rekha. "Popular Religious Traditions, British Military Recruitment and the Social Construction of Masculinity in Colonial Haryana". journalofsocialsciences.org. Retrieved 22 May 2025.
4. Gopal, Madan (2021). Sir Chhotu Ram: A Political Biography. B.R. Publishing Corporation. ISBN 978-93-91123-02-4.
5. N Panigrahi, India's Partition: The Story Of Imperialism In Retreat
6. "Havaldar Khetaram". amritmahotsav.nic.in. Retrieved 22 May 2025. “In 1925, at the Jat Mahasabha session in Pushkar, Khetaram delivered the national speech of Maharaja Krishnamah of Bharatpur, pledging his commitment to serving the nation and began wearing Khaddar, a symbol of self-reliance and resistance against British colonial rule. He left the military in 1928 to join the farmers' movement alongside Sardar Harlal Singh.”
7. Misra, S. C. (1993). National Movement in a Princely State. Pointer Publishers. ISBN 978-81-7132-073-8.
8. Sisson, Richard (1940-06-05). "Peasant Movements and Political Mobilization: The Jats of Rajasthan". Asian Survey. 9 (12): 946–963. doi:10.2307/2642561. ISSN 0004-4687.
9. Jat Mahasabha convention on 9 March 2007
10. Yahoo Hindi News
11. Gyan Prakash Pilania as head of the Jat Mahasabha
12. "File:Jat Mahasabha Function1.jpg - Jatland Wiki". www.jatland.com. Retrieved 2025-05-21.
13. "महाराजा सूरजमल को नमन करते जाट महासभा ने मनाया शौर्य दिवस, दिलाई थी आगरा को मुगलों से आजादी - Jat Mahasabha celebrated bravery day while paying homage to Maharaja Surajmal he had given independence to Agra from the Mughals". Jagran (in Hindi). Retrieved 2025-06-10.
14. Bharat, E. T. V. (2025-06-10). "यूपी सरकार पहली बार 'आगरा विजय दिवस' मनाएगी; महाराजा सूरजमल की वीरता से गूंजेगा आगरा किला". ETV Bharat News (in Hindi). Retrieved 2025-06-10.
15. "रामलीला मैदान में मनाया जाएगा महाराजा सूरजमल का विजय दिवस". Live Hindustan. 8 June 2025. Retrieved 10 June 2025.
16. "Rajasthan : कौन है राजाराम मील जो हनुमान बेनीवाल के खिलाफ खोल रहे मोर्चा, कहा- इसने समाज बर्बाद कर दिया". Zee Rajasthan (in Hindi). Retrieved 2025-05-22.
17. "Jat Sabha Chandigarh". www.jatsabha.org. Retrieved 2025-05-22.
18. "'चौधरी अमन सिंह' उत्तर प्रदेश जाट महासभा के..." dainik.bhaskar.com. Archived from the original on 2024-11-28. Retrieved 2025-05-22.
19. "Jat Community to play vital role in Assembly polls: Ch Manmohan". Statetimes. 2024-09-22. Retrieved 2025-05-22.