RESERVATION FOR UPPER CASTES
When we became free in 1947, we had a legacy of a 1000-year-old unequal social system - which had excluded two groups: Dalits (15%) and Adivasis (7.5%). So to give them a level playing field, they were given reservation in education and government jobs in 1950. Dr B R Ambedkar said this system would be there for 10 years - and then abolished.
But in 1960, this system was extended by 10 more years saying it had not yet achieved its objective. Why did it not achieve its objective? What were the things that had to be done to make it achieve its objective? Nobody asked. This trend continued every 10 years thereafter.
In 1990-93, a new dimension was added. Another 27% reservation was given to the 'poor' among the Shudras (40%) - who were the bottom of the 4-layer social system. Now the total reservation came up to 50%. Supreme Court said reservation must not go above this level - to strike a balance between merit and social justice. But some states violated this rule.
Now we are in 2019. We have had 58 years of reservation for Dalits & Adivasis and 25 years of reservation for 'poor' Shudras. What is the situation today? What is the economic condition of the people of these groups? Is it satisfactory? If not, why - even after 58/25 years of reservation? What are the things we should really do to uplift them? These are fundamental questions. But we are not even asking them.
In 1947-50, we gave 15% and 7.5% reservation to SCs and STs because that was their population. But in 1990-93, we gave only 27% reservation to OBCs - though they are 40% of the country. Why? Answer: To stay within the Laxman Rekha of 50%. OBCs demanded 40% reservation - but they were kept at bay by using the Laxman Rekha.
Now we have erased that Laxman Rekha. So all hell will break loose. First, there is no moral ground left to say no to 40% reservation for OBCs. Next, SCs and STs are today 17% and 9% of the country. So they will also demand their quota to be increased. And so on and so forth.
We have opened the gates of hell . . .
PS: SC/ST reservation is going to the children of IAS/IPS officers, doctors and engineers - who don't need it. It is not going to the children of farmers and factory workers - who need it. So SC/ST creamy layer must be excluded from reservation (like OBC creamy layer).
When we became free in 1947, we had a legacy of a 1000-year-old unequal social system - which had excluded two groups: Dalits (15%) and Adivasis (7.5%). So to give them a level playing field, they were given reservation in education and government jobs in 1950. Dr B R Ambedkar said this system would be there for 10 years - and then abolished.
But in 1960, this system was extended by 10 more years saying it had not yet achieved its objective. Why did it not achieve its objective? What were the things that had to be done to make it achieve its objective? Nobody asked. This trend continued every 10 years thereafter.
In 1990-93, a new dimension was added. Another 27% reservation was given to the 'poor' among the Shudras (40%) - who were the bottom of the 4-layer social system. Now the total reservation came up to 50%. Supreme Court said reservation must not go above this level - to strike a balance between merit and social justice. But some states violated this rule.
Now we are in 2019. We have had 58 years of reservation for Dalits & Adivasis and 25 years of reservation for 'poor' Shudras. What is the situation today? What is the economic condition of the people of these groups? Is it satisfactory? If not, why - even after 58/25 years of reservation? What are the things we should really do to uplift them? These are fundamental questions. But we are not even asking them.
In 1947-50, we gave 15% and 7.5% reservation to SCs and STs because that was their population. But in 1990-93, we gave only 27% reservation to OBCs - though they are 40% of the country. Why? Answer: To stay within the Laxman Rekha of 50%. OBCs demanded 40% reservation - but they were kept at bay by using the Laxman Rekha.
Now we have erased that Laxman Rekha. So all hell will break loose. First, there is no moral ground left to say no to 40% reservation for OBCs. Next, SCs and STs are today 17% and 9% of the country. So they will also demand their quota to be increased. And so on and so forth.
We have opened the gates of hell . . .
PS: SC/ST reservation is going to the children of IAS/IPS officers, doctors and engineers - who don't need it. It is not going to the children of farmers and factory workers - who need it. So SC/ST creamy layer must be excluded from reservation (like OBC creamy layer).
