There are enough people in the group who voice their resentment towards the present reservation system, still agree to some kind of alternatives and don't neessarily feel to do away with it. Most of the anti-reservationists have agreed with them at one point or another except Ram..
For Ram and other like him, who deny any sort of affirmative action I would request to refrain from reading after this, because it would be totally baseless for them. We can actually discuss with them elsewhere.
So the suggestions to replace the present form of Policy (reservation policy) are
1. Give scholarship/stipends
2. Reservation based on economic grounds
3. Reservation in the present form with a stipulation of it being a one-time-benefector for a family lineage.
Some of the basic arguments against the policy to be summed are
1. It has been inaffective to solve the problems of reserved category.
2. It introduces inequalty in disguise, while trying to strech a helping hand.
3. It has become a easy selter for high-class and elite sc/st/obc poeple, and now muslim
4. It perpetuates inefficincy and mediocracy
5. It reinforces caste-hatred.
I have been trying to dissuade such belief which centred around any of these points, in various newsgroups. Incidentally, most of the newsgroup find a lone voice like mine and the reasoning in the debate gets lost in the rucku. Each time I find the most of the anti-policy people come from the common background (i.e either student or some techies) and they blatantly float the idea that they,or their near and dear suffer because of reservation. They also believe their opinions are valid just because they are supported mainly by fellow group member or the otherside is less informed.
For my part, I have been an ardent advocate of equality. I had witnessed serveral discimation and undergone some, both economic and caste-based, still upto a cetain age i was liberal leaning and wishing for a discrimation free, just society. When i first stepped into an urban area for higher education i felt the warmth of this debate on reservation. I carefully read most of the newspaper/journals articles, colums regrading this, then slowly i began to analyse the backround of the columsists. That shaped up my opionion in support of this policy, also to reform it in a positive spirit. Now, i feel i can suficiently see throught the logic of the opposer's view and correct him/myself. So here goes my two pennies.
For the detractor of the policy, I would like to ask which policy in India that needed both government and public involvement was impelmented full-fledgedly. Forget about anything else, Indira Abas Yojana, and Land Ceiling Act which are important and basic to all has been far from succesful. You talk of Prime minister Sadak Yojana, Sampurna Rojgar Yojana any of which could bring a upward curve on your face. And you except this policy benefiting the much hated or otherwise neglected people to penetrate the inaccessible rural india, and do a u-turn in thier life standard, in just 10-50 years, when more than 98% of the higher officials in the exceutive posts are the people who resent the policy ? How ironic ?
For those who beleive that the constitution provides equal oppertunity for all of us hence reservation is unfair, I would mention that in the same constitution the special reservation privileges are given. And there is no double standard there. As supreme court justice P. B. Sawant points out, " to treat unequals as equals are as injustice as treating equals as unequals"... For those with the above arguments, I would say they have not witness the real India (the rural India) or if they did they have blissfully ignored certain section of the society which was never and would never be able to stand equally otherwise.
Some other are not concerned of the positive aspect of it. Their arguments are, "why the person from the same econmic background should get mileage out of it". I refuse to believe on the fact that a lower-caste,economically-well-to-do person has never faced casted-discrimation. It is just a matter how you look at it. Everywhere you can see it anecdotes, stories,literature, , friendly gossip somehow reminds you of being lesser individual. It is always better if your friend circle is aware of your caste-status and sympethetic otherwise these (ancedotes, stories...) continue to keep your wound fresh. Still then I feel this could be the only genuine point for which the policy shoul be reconsidered and revamped.
Many argue that reservation-benefacors trained as professional and officials lack merit and efficiency. The most disreputed and inefficient department of the govt. is Judiciary. It has no reservation system. The next most discredited one is police dept (at least in my state) and 99% percent of the distrit police officials are SC/STs where there is perenial law and order problem. Why not the meritorious people solve the judicial impass of the country also take on the troubled water in Malkangiri district? India has witnessed a developement roadblock with either the developement funds retuned, shiffoned off en route or partially impelemented. And what percentage of resevered category people are there in the implementation process from secretariate to DM and to contractors.
It is easy to argue about merit solely based on marks which can be cultivated by day and night of labour in an relatively secure and peaceful atmosphere and with proper guidence, to all of which the higher-caste, so-called meritorious people have access to. But efficiency demands much more to this, to name a few honesty and passion for your work,a fellow feeling for the people being benefeted etc. etc. But unfortunately our evaluation of merit does not recognise these, instead it tries to make us more self-centred. I can even stress that after a certain point it is not your numbers but the skill, rational, understaning and sense of responsibility that matters.
You are in fool's paradise if you think, you dont have to show any caste-certificate, and your caste-status has gone unnoticed. Everybody in India knows, something that cant be erased is not fate, not religion but caste. It is a belief structure, some kind of diabocal superiority feeling, poeple get out of thier higher caste status, most of which fellow member have either accumulated wealth or curled up at higher jobs, which becomes another matter of pride. It even exists in the lower-caste even more conciously and if subjected to discimination or offences,no matter how brilliant, how well-off you are, you have the feeling that people look you down. So reservation is not enough for the caste-based injustice, nor any formidable policy could be envisioned which may help the belief structure crumble. Look at the racism at England and America and you will feel what a distant dream it is. It may only take the goodwill of the higher castes or a tremdous violent uprising.
But still now i dont see that coming through. I understand and said clearly above why people stand against reservation. Simply because it takes away some of the oppertunities-how little they might be(22.5%)-and gives to some people whose merit-for both getting the oppertunity and the reservatin-is, as defined by them questionable. As if these 22.5% of seats are major obstacles, if cleared they will turn this country into heaven with all meritorious people working overtime, even for those who since time imemorable remain untouchable, out of bussiness, and devoid of basic amenities. I have never seen anybody questioning a candidate being elected as an MP/MLA, but always doctor/engineer/IAS officers. Why ? The reason is simple, they have nothing to do with an MP or MLA seat instead a medical/eng/upsc seat is a better aspiration for the middle class beground they are coming from. But this electorates was the bone of contention between the Father of the nation M. K. Gandhi and Architect of Constution B. R. Ambedkar which led to a 21 day fast and ultimately resulted the present form of the policy in Poona pact. At that time political power was considered to be absolute but now it lacks the edge, have become more or less inaccessible to middle-class and the oppertunity is limited to a few there.
Next I will explore the rationale of the suggestion made by these champions of equality and merit.
For Ram and other like him, who deny any sort of affirmative action I would request to refrain from reading after this, because it would be totally baseless for them. We can actually discuss with them elsewhere.
So the suggestions to replace the present form of Policy (reservation policy) are
1. Give scholarship/stipends
2. Reservation based on economic grounds
3. Reservation in the present form with a stipulation of it being a one-time-benefector for a family lineage.
Some of the basic arguments against the policy to be summed are
1. It has been inaffective to solve the problems of reserved category.
2. It introduces inequalty in disguise, while trying to strech a helping hand.
3. It has become a easy selter for high-class and elite sc/st/obc poeple, and now muslim
4. It perpetuates inefficincy and mediocracy
5. It reinforces caste-hatred.
I have been trying to dissuade such belief which centred around any of these points, in various newsgroups. Incidentally, most of the newsgroup find a lone voice like mine and the reasoning in the debate gets lost in the rucku. Each time I find the most of the anti-policy people come from the common background (i.e either student or some techies) and they blatantly float the idea that they,or their near and dear suffer because of reservation. They also believe their opinions are valid just because they are supported mainly by fellow group member or the otherside is less informed.
For my part, I have been an ardent advocate of equality. I had witnessed serveral discimation and undergone some, both economic and caste-based, still upto a cetain age i was liberal leaning and wishing for a discrimation free, just society. When i first stepped into an urban area for higher education i felt the warmth of this debate on reservation. I carefully read most of the newspaper/journals articles, colums regrading this, then slowly i began to analyse the backround of the columsists. That shaped up my opionion in support of this policy, also to reform it in a positive spirit. Now, i feel i can suficiently see throught the logic of the opposer's view and correct him/myself. So here goes my two pennies.
For the detractor of the policy, I would like to ask which policy in India that needed both government and public involvement was impelmented full-fledgedly. Forget about anything else, Indira Abas Yojana, and Land Ceiling Act which are important and basic to all has been far from succesful. You talk of Prime minister Sadak Yojana, Sampurna Rojgar Yojana any of which could bring a upward curve on your face. And you except this policy benefiting the much hated or otherwise neglected people to penetrate the inaccessible rural india, and do a u-turn in thier life standard, in just 10-50 years, when more than 98% of the higher officials in the exceutive posts are the people who resent the policy ? How ironic ?
For those who beleive that the constitution provides equal oppertunity for all of us hence reservation is unfair, I would mention that in the same constitution the special reservation privileges are given. And there is no double standard there. As supreme court justice P. B. Sawant points out, " to treat unequals as equals are as injustice as treating equals as unequals"... For those with the above arguments, I would say they have not witness the real India (the rural India) or if they did they have blissfully ignored certain section of the society which was never and would never be able to stand equally otherwise.
Some other are not concerned of the positive aspect of it. Their arguments are, "why the person from the same econmic background should get mileage out of it". I refuse to believe on the fact that a lower-caste,economically-well-to-do person has never faced casted-discrimation. It is just a matter how you look at it. Everywhere you can see it anecdotes, stories,literature, , friendly gossip somehow reminds you of being lesser individual. It is always better if your friend circle is aware of your caste-status and sympethetic otherwise these (ancedotes, stories...) continue to keep your wound fresh. Still then I feel this could be the only genuine point for which the policy shoul be reconsidered and revamped.
Many argue that reservation-benefacors trained as professional and officials lack merit and efficiency. The most disreputed and inefficient department of the govt. is Judiciary. It has no reservation system. The next most discredited one is police dept (at least in my state) and 99% percent of the distrit police officials are SC/STs where there is perenial law and order problem. Why not the meritorious people solve the judicial impass of the country also take on the troubled water in Malkangiri district? India has witnessed a developement roadblock with either the developement funds retuned, shiffoned off en route or partially impelemented. And what percentage of resevered category people are there in the implementation process from secretariate to DM and to contractors.
It is easy to argue about merit solely based on marks which can be cultivated by day and night of labour in an relatively secure and peaceful atmosphere and with proper guidence, to all of which the higher-caste, so-called meritorious people have access to. But efficiency demands much more to this, to name a few honesty and passion for your work,a fellow feeling for the people being benefeted etc. etc. But unfortunately our evaluation of merit does not recognise these, instead it tries to make us more self-centred. I can even stress that after a certain point it is not your numbers but the skill, rational, understaning and sense of responsibility that matters.
You are in fool's paradise if you think, you dont have to show any caste-certificate, and your caste-status has gone unnoticed. Everybody in India knows, something that cant be erased is not fate, not religion but caste. It is a belief structure, some kind of diabocal superiority feeling, poeple get out of thier higher caste status, most of which fellow member have either accumulated wealth or curled up at higher jobs, which becomes another matter of pride. It even exists in the lower-caste even more conciously and if subjected to discimination or offences,no matter how brilliant, how well-off you are, you have the feeling that people look you down. So reservation is not enough for the caste-based injustice, nor any formidable policy could be envisioned which may help the belief structure crumble. Look at the racism at England and America and you will feel what a distant dream it is. It may only take the goodwill of the higher castes or a tremdous violent uprising.
But still now i dont see that coming through. I understand and said clearly above why people stand against reservation. Simply because it takes away some of the oppertunities-how little they might be(22.5%)-and gives to some people whose merit-for both getting the oppertunity and the reservatin-is, as defined by them questionable. As if these 22.5% of seats are major obstacles, if cleared they will turn this country into heaven with all meritorious people working overtime, even for those who since time imemorable remain untouchable, out of bussiness, and devoid of basic amenities. I have never seen anybody questioning a candidate being elected as an MP/MLA, but always doctor/engineer/IAS officers. Why ? The reason is simple, they have nothing to do with an MP or MLA seat instead a medical/eng/upsc seat is a better aspiration for the middle class beground they are coming from. But this electorates was the bone of contention between the Father of the nation M. K. Gandhi and Architect of Constution B. R. Ambedkar which led to a 21 day fast and ultimately resulted the present form of the policy in Poona pact. At that time political power was considered to be absolute but now it lacks the edge, have become more or less inaccessible to middle-class and the oppertunity is limited to a few there.
Next I will explore the rationale of the suggestion made by these champions of equality and merit.
I think these rash anti-reservation protests are stupid, but the point remains that reservations haven't worked as well as they should have.
ReplyDeleteWhat I don't understand is why is there so much opposition against adding some economic factor to the caste based reservations?
If the reservations were actually helping the Dalits in villages who get beaten and tortured for drawing water from the well, then I support it wholeheartedly. However the people that I do see who get these seats are sons and daughters of IAS officers, bank officials and ministers etc. I really do not think they deserve getting admitted any more than anyone else. This creamy layer hogging up the benefits of reservation is why the really oppressed are not uplifted.
You say that even if these people are economically well off, they have to hear anti-dalit statements and insults. This is deplorable and bad, but do you think this justifies them to preferential treatment with respect to admission?
I would like to hear of some success stories of really oppressed dalits being benefited by reservation as it is implemented now.
Please don't think of my comments as vitriolic or offensive. I don't mean to fight irrationally against your opinions, but I really would appreciate an answer from you.