Shimla: Himachal Pradesh Cabinet Minister Vikramaditya Singh has supported the demand for the formation of a Savarna Aayog, or a commission for the general category, saying that every section of society should have an appropriate platform to raise its concerns and bring grievances to the attention of the government.
Speaking to mediapersons in Shimla Rural, Singh said the state already had various boards and institutional mechanisms to address the issues of different sections, including Scheduled Castes, tribal communities, farmers and horticulturists. He said other sections of society should also have a forum where they could present their concerns and demands.
The minister said the objective should be to provide the concerned community with an opportunity to express its views, enabling the government to examine the issues and take decisions in accordance with established rules and constitutional provisions.
Singh’s remarks come amid renewed demands from general-category organisations for a dedicated commission to address their concerns. The demand has again gained attention following recent protests in Shimla, where members of the Rashtriya Devbhoomi Party and other organisations called for the establishment of a Swarn Aayog through legislation.
Demand for a Dedicated Commission
The demand for a Savarna Aayog is not new in Himachal Pradesh. It gained momentum in 2021, when organisations representing the general category staged protests during the winter session of the state Assembly at Tapovan in Dharamshala. The then BJP government, led by Chief Minister Jairam Thakur, announced the formation of a commission to address the grievances of the general category.
In February 2022, the state government notified the constitution of the Samanya Varg Aayog, with the objective of examining issues and grievances concerning the general category and recommending solutions.
However, organisations advocating for the community have continued to raise concerns over the commission’s status and functioning. Their demands include establishing the body through legislation, giving it a stronger legal framework and ensuring that it effectively addresses the social, educational and economic concerns of general-category families.
Fresh Protests Bring Issue Back into Focus
The issue has returned to the centre of political debate following the recent Savarna Nyay Yatra, which covered around 600 kilometres before reaching Shimla. Protesters demanded the enactment of legislation to establish a Swarn Aayog and raised other concerns, including opposition to the University Grants Commission’s 2026 regulations. The agitation culminated in a confrontation between protesters and police outside the state Secretariat on October 22.
Supporters of the commission argue that it should provide a dedicated mechanism to examine grievances, particularly those relating to economically weaker families, access to educational opportunities and other social and economic challenges faced by members of the general category.
The demand has also featured in Himachal Pradesh’s political discourse across party lines. In 2021, Vikramaditya Singh, then a Congress MLA, had raised the issue in the Assembly, arguing that the concerns of the general category should also receive attention, while the then Chief Minister Jairam Thakur said the government was examining the proposal.
The key question now is whether the state government will consider strengthening the existing Samanya Varg Aayog, providing it with a statutory basis, or taking other measures to address the concerns raised by community organisations.
The issue is likely to remain a subject of public and political discussion as organisations continue to seek a clearly defined institutional mechanism for the general category. Singh’s statement has added fresh weight to the demand, while leaving the specific structure, powers and legal status of any proposed arrangement to be determined by the government.
