The principle of equality is one of the basic features of the Indian Constitution. It has also been enshrined as a fundamental right to all the citizens of India, irrespective of their caste, sex, colour, religion or region. India, is however, a vastly diverse country and some strata have been consistently unequal than some others. Owing to numerous factors like their regional isolation, financial deprivation, social bias, administrative apathy, they have been more backward than their fellow countrymen. For their sake, our constitution provided for certain enabling provisions for ensuring their due uplift.
Article (15) prohibits discrimination of any sort among Indian nationals, but its amended sub clause four also entitles the state to take special measures for the socially and economically backward sections. Also the directive principle under article 46 also binds the state for their special care. They may be given entitlements as reservation in jobs and education or other special benefits till they catch up with the mainstream. It implies that the provision is meant for bringing the unequal at par with others and should remain in existence till equality is attained. Unfortunately, our self seeking politicians would never let that happen. They have turned the sensitive issue into a popular political strategy. The political parties tend to appease the minorities and fill up their vote banks by including quota provision in their election manifesto. It has become an extremely handy tool in their hands to sway the gullible electorate. Hence, we still fight over SC/ST status while the world itself has become a melting pot.
The verdict in Mandal Case in 1993, sent ripples across the country and unleashed violent protests by anti-reservation sections. Presently, there is 13 per cent quota for scheduled castes, three per cent for denotified tribes, eight per cent for nomadic tribes and seven per cent for scheduled tribes, and 19 per cent for OBC in public employment, leaving just half seats for the general category. Worse, many states don’t even follow that direction of Supreme Court and reserve more than 50 per cent. A few years back, the announcement of 27 per cent OBC quota in higher educational institutions made the students come to streets in two distinct groups- forward and backward. They probably would not have been aware of such distinctions any time before. The pro and anti agitations have divided our youth to the detriment to nation's integrity.
The abusive language and sense of contempt against the reserved category is but a natural fall out, as many of the deserving candidates fail to receive their due just because they are not reserved. We, not very long back, saw Gujjars of Rajasthan lobbying for their inclusion in reserved category. This brings home the strange race of being declared backward than others because being 'backward' eventually ‘pays’ in terms of reservation. Already, there have been numerous cases of obtaining fake certificates of SC/ST identity. What does this bode for global India?
It is an undeniable fact that certain weak communities do require special protection and entitlements for their advancement. But this needs to be achieved by a rational policy. There are several considerations to be taken care of for striking a balance between equality and positive discrimination. Firstly, there has to be adequate criteria for identifying the backward. It has to be an individual status rather than group identity to decide whether one deserves extra support or not. A scheduled caste boy of a rich bureaucrat, as per my opinion, needs no reservation but surely a meritorious child of a poor general category farmer does need it. Today, there is another controversy of extending reservation benefits of SC/ST to the backward groups of other minorities as well. Here pitches in religious distinction and there seems to be no end to fragmenting the single identity-Indian. Secondly, any reservation policy should be a time bound initiative. One needs to ask the pro elements that why the backward people are still backward despite the quotas being prevalent for almost six decades. There have been some successful men who could flourish just because of the protective discrimination, but that is a very small number. Therefore, we do need to revisit our reservation provisions as they have failed to deliver much per se. The affirmative action, perhaps, is a promising way out that would enable the deprived get access to good schools, relevant books, skill development etc at the state's expense without jeopardising the interests of general community and also would protect the meritorious. Also, the special benefits should be one time affair ie, if one is identified as special case at education level, he should compete without crutches for securing job and if one could not attain relevant education for his group identity or financial incapacity, he should be duly supported for his livelihood. Lastly, we need to change the social mindset of people at large and for that purpose we need social awareness more than legal provisions.
To conclude, here I quote Dr Ambedkar, "It is wrong for majority to deny the existence of minorities. It is equally wrong for the minorities to perpetuate themselves. A solution must be found which will serve a double purpose. It must recognise the existence of the minorities to start with. It will also be such that it will enable majorities and minorities to merge some day into one." Therefore, let us not perpetuate the caste and further alienate the alienated, but ensure all their respective due share in the best terms.
Article (15) prohibits discrimination of any sort among Indian nationals, but its amended sub clause four also entitles the state to take special measures for the socially and economically backward sections. Also the directive principle under article 46 also binds the state for their special care. They may be given entitlements as reservation in jobs and education or other special benefits till they catch up with the mainstream. It implies that the provision is meant for bringing the unequal at par with others and should remain in existence till equality is attained. Unfortunately, our self seeking politicians would never let that happen. They have turned the sensitive issue into a popular political strategy. The political parties tend to appease the minorities and fill up their vote banks by including quota provision in their election manifesto. It has become an extremely handy tool in their hands to sway the gullible electorate. Hence, we still fight over SC/ST status while the world itself has become a melting pot.
The verdict in Mandal Case in 1993, sent ripples across the country and unleashed violent protests by anti-reservation sections. Presently, there is 13 per cent quota for scheduled castes, three per cent for denotified tribes, eight per cent for nomadic tribes and seven per cent for scheduled tribes, and 19 per cent for OBC in public employment, leaving just half seats for the general category. Worse, many states don’t even follow that direction of Supreme Court and reserve more than 50 per cent. A few years back, the announcement of 27 per cent OBC quota in higher educational institutions made the students come to streets in two distinct groups- forward and backward. They probably would not have been aware of such distinctions any time before. The pro and anti agitations have divided our youth to the detriment to nation's integrity.
The abusive language and sense of contempt against the reserved category is but a natural fall out, as many of the deserving candidates fail to receive their due just because they are not reserved. We, not very long back, saw Gujjars of Rajasthan lobbying for their inclusion in reserved category. This brings home the strange race of being declared backward than others because being 'backward' eventually ‘pays’ in terms of reservation. Already, there have been numerous cases of obtaining fake certificates of SC/ST identity. What does this bode for global India?
It is an undeniable fact that certain weak communities do require special protection and entitlements for their advancement. But this needs to be achieved by a rational policy. There are several considerations to be taken care of for striking a balance between equality and positive discrimination. Firstly, there has to be adequate criteria for identifying the backward. It has to be an individual status rather than group identity to decide whether one deserves extra support or not. A scheduled caste boy of a rich bureaucrat, as per my opinion, needs no reservation but surely a meritorious child of a poor general category farmer does need it. Today, there is another controversy of extending reservation benefits of SC/ST to the backward groups of other minorities as well. Here pitches in religious distinction and there seems to be no end to fragmenting the single identity-Indian. Secondly, any reservation policy should be a time bound initiative. One needs to ask the pro elements that why the backward people are still backward despite the quotas being prevalent for almost six decades. There have been some successful men who could flourish just because of the protective discrimination, but that is a very small number. Therefore, we do need to revisit our reservation provisions as they have failed to deliver much per se. The affirmative action, perhaps, is a promising way out that would enable the deprived get access to good schools, relevant books, skill development etc at the state's expense without jeopardising the interests of general community and also would protect the meritorious. Also, the special benefits should be one time affair ie, if one is identified as special case at education level, he should compete without crutches for securing job and if one could not attain relevant education for his group identity or financial incapacity, he should be duly supported for his livelihood. Lastly, we need to change the social mindset of people at large and for that purpose we need social awareness more than legal provisions.
To conclude, here I quote Dr Ambedkar, "It is wrong for majority to deny the existence of minorities. It is equally wrong for the minorities to perpetuate themselves. A solution must be found which will serve a double purpose. It must recognise the existence of the minorities to start with. It will also be such that it will enable majorities and minorities to merge some day into one." Therefore, let us not perpetuate the caste and further alienate the alienated, but ensure all their respective due share in the best terms.
No comments:
Post a Comment