Reservation for upper castes: Another jumla in making
With elections fast approaching, PM Modi has inaugurated another ‘bullet train’ in unforeseen hurry. He has said his government will offer 10% reservation to upper caste people from lower economic backgrounds. If this is implemented, Brahmins, Thakur, Jat, Martha and Baniyas will reap the benefits of reservation.
There is no doubt that this self-contradictory declaration at many levels, is a big jumla because the government cannot implement this in the time before the term ends. By the time the bill is tabled and discussed in both houses, and then reaches the President, NDA government would have finished its term.
Modi has lost the faith of lower class with hisanti-farmer and anti-labour decisions that have mostly helped the corporates and private sector. BJP is securing less vote share in rural areas. Along with this, Jat and Maratha communities had taken to streets seeking reservation and had shown visible dissatisfaction against Modi.
The PM has made this announcement with the only reason that he needs to clinch upper class votes for his party. But this declaration has once again brought the focus back on caste system in this country. BJP as a party that said the country shouldn’t have caste based reservation, has gone and taken this decision. This has embarrassed marginalized communities that have identified with the party.
At the same time, even the parameter that has been fixed for the ‘reservation deserving category’ has also come under scanner because it is capped at Rs 8 lac per annum. Those earning almost Rs 65,000 per month, with five acres of land and or a 1000 sq ft flat as possessions, are considered poor. This could be some kind of a cruel joke?
Just when the creamy layer discussion is happening in the context of reassigning reservation desirability, how can an upper caste person be given such leeway in accessing the benefits of reservation?
Of course there are people who are very economically disadvantaged among the upper castes who need help. How can this policy help THAT person? This reservation benefit will not reach that category at all because this policy is aimed at pleasing the upper class upper caste people only. Hence, the government continues to remain poor in perceiving poverty whether rural or urban.
More than anything else, Ambedkar’s reservation is not aimed at making the poor into rich. There are schemes for all impoverished people in this country including BPL card, one kilo rice, government school schemes – almost everything is aimed at caste poverty people. Reservation is aimed at upliftment of those people who are backward in accessing education and education aided benefits such as jobs etc.
Someone who is poor today may be rich tomorrow and his perception of his personality may undergo huge change later. But a dalit today cannot become a Brahmin tomorrow and lead a life with new identity and renewed prestige. We need to remember that no matter how rich the person is, his caste will define the privileges he’ll enjoy. We also need to remember the incident of the President of India having been forced to stay out of Sanctum Sanctorum of a famous temple because he came from lower caste background?
When this is the case, how can ordinary Dalits even think of leading a life normally? An upper caste man may feign his income for the certificate, but a Dalit can never get a caste certificate to announce him a Brahmin, and lead a life of changed identity.
The government had the opportunity to get a report on the statistics relating to the number and income of Brahmins in upper castes before arriving at the parameter to fix many scales. Brahmins, Rajputs, Jats and Marathas have been using reservation since the last 50 years based on economic background.
When this is compared to that of the lower caste people who have used reservation for economic betterment, one would realize reservation hasn’t even been properly implemented in this country.
Only upper caste people have political dominance in the country and they are also economically much well off. Hence, what is the need to boost them? To provide impetus to them would mean that we push the lower castes further. This is like adding an extra set of incisors to conventional set of teeth.
Now the rich upper caste people already have reservation in the form of ‘payment seat’. Are they not using it owing to bad grades but high potential to buy the seat? Those who can earn Rs 60,000 per month can make their kids self sufficient without having to seek aid.
If India has to see comprehensive development, the lives of Dalits, Shudras and Muslims has to change. We need to understand how effectively reservation has been implemented into their lives and how many members are capable of earning Rs 60,000 per month among them. If the situation has remained as it was before, then the government needs to take stock of how reservation can be effectively implemented.
Millions of young boys and girls from lower caste are Modi fans. They are the ones who are used as pawns in communal riots in coastal Karnataka. The Billavas, Mogaveeras and others have been brainwashed that reservation is damaging to the nation. Now the very government who did that, is all set to offer reservation to upper castes. With this, Modi has let down those who trusted him.
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Speaker rules out discussion on Guv''s conduct amid K''taka Assembly standoff
Bengaluru (PTI): In an effort to end the logjam over the Governor's address that has stalled proceedings for the past week, Karnataka Assembly Speaker U T Khader on Wednesday ruled that legislators should not discuss Thaawarchand Gehlot or his conduct in the house, saying such debates send the wrong message to the public.
The House has witnessed repeated disruptions and adjournments since the session began on January 22 over the issue of the governor's conduct.
During his address to the joint sitting of the Karnataka legislature on January 22, Gehlot read out only three sentences from the 122-paragraph speech prepared by the state government.
The speech included criticism of the Centre for replacing the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) with the Viksit Bharat–Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajivika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G), portions of which the governor declined to read.
Concluding his address in about two minutes, the governor left the house, triggering a commotion as Congress legislators attempted to gherao him and raised slogans.
While the opposition BJP accused the ruling Congress and its ministers of "insulting" the governor and demanded action, the treasury benches countered by claiming the governor had "insulted the National Anthem by leaving before it was played."
The house again witnessed heated arguments on the issue earlier in the day, leading to adjournment.
During the interruption, Khader held a meeting with ministers and opposition members to resolve the impasse.
When proceedings resumed, the speaker delivered his ruling.
Referring to the events of January 22 and the subsequent debate, Khader said the conduct and discussions had conveyed the wrong message to the public.
"Our conduct as members of this House and the opinions expressed must be in good taste and in accordance with constitutional provisions. They must uphold the dignity of the House and its members. We must introspect in this direction," he said.
He stressed the need for caution to ensure that such incidents are not repeated in the future.
"Let us end this matter here, continue the discussion on the motion of thanks to the governor, and refrain from discussing the governor or his conduct in this house," the speaker said.
Leader of the Opposition R Ashoka said the house should express regret over what he termed an "insult" to the governor.
Responding, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said the situation would not have arisen had the governor read out the entire address.
"Asking the house to express regret is not appropriate. Why did the governor leave even before the National Anthem was played," Siddaramaiah asked.
BJP MLA S Suresh Kumar reminded Siddaramaiah that as Leader of the Opposition in 2011, he had asked then Governor Hansraj Bhardwaj to curtail his address.
Bhardwaj had subsequently placed the address on the table of the house, requesting members to treat it as read.
Siddaramaiah said the situation in January 2011 was different from the present one.
The debate grew intense, leading to another adjournment of the house.
