Reservation for Economically Backward: Another Jumla!

Ram Puniyani
January 18, 2019

Indian caste system has been a big obstacle to the journey towards equality. With Independence and the Indian Constitution coming into being, the provisions were made for socially backward classes for reservations for SC and ST. Later in 1990, VP Singh when faced with the threat to his power from Choudhary Devilal, implemented to report of Mandal Commission which gave 27% of reservation to other backward castes. This was in addition to the already existing quota for the ST and SC. Lately there have been demands from dominant castes like Jats, Marathas, Patels and others for reservations for them. The state Governments have been in dilemmas about these demands, for some of which massive agitations have been launched in recent history.

Coming in this backdrop is the BJP led NDA Government has introduced 10% reservation for the economically backward upper castes. The Central Cabinet gave approval to the same and the Parliament has passed the amendment for its implantation. At the same time ‘Youth for Equality’, which has been opposing the very concept of reservation on the grounds that only merit should be the criterion for jobs has challenged this in the Supreme Court. What is interesting is that BJP as a party has been in the forefront of ideological battle opposing the concept of reservations. Long agitations and movements have been witnessed in the past led by the right wing people opposing the very concept of reservation. The anti reservation riots of Ahmadabad in 1980s were against the quota for dalits. These witnessed massive violence against dalits. Similarly in 1985 onwards another series of violence was unleashed against the principle of reservation in promotion in jobs.

In the wake of Mandal Commission implementation the only party to oppose it was Shiv Sena. The other major outfit conceptually opposed to reservations and beating the drum of merit has been BJP. For electoral purpose it did not come forward to openly oppose the Mandal Commission. In place it went on to strengthen its Kamandal politics, the Ram temple politics, which polarized the society along religious lines leading to massive violence. Youth for Equality has been constantly opposing reservation of all and any types. It is now in Supreme Court.

The upper limit of reservations so far has been set to a total of 50%, with this 10% additional it will go up to 60%. Will it be legally tenable, needs to be seen. The definition of economically backward defies all the logic, what has been proposed is that all those having an annual income of below 8 Lakhs per year, having a household less that1000 square feet and having land less than 5 Acres will be put in this category. If we see the rough estimates around these parameters, over 90% of Indian population will be eligible for this 10% reservation, in effect it is like neutralizing the whole concept of affirmative action and surely poor of the upper caste are not going to benefit from it.

The points which emerge from this reservation initiative by this government show that its intention is not any way to help the poor upper caste to come up. So far in society those benefitting from quotas have been looked down in a humiliating way. It is to bypass this ST/ST/OBC reservation that the whole series of private colleges came up, where bypassing the merit, the money power was the major factor. The contradiction of merit versus money stood very much exposed during last many decades. While blaming the one’s coming from reserved category as being sub standard, the private colleges-donations and game of money has been the major player in the field of education. So while there has been opposition to the concept of reservation why this move, which in any way is not going to be of any use in bridging the divide of social-economic disparity.

It is interesting to note that while this move is being undertaken thousands of jobs are lying vacant; not being filled. In most of the areas, permanent work is being outsourced on contract to the temporary workers. The policy makers know that this move is not going to benefit the poor as new jobs are not being created. Be it the Government sector of the public sector, there is a massive stagnation in the jobs and that is what is leading to the frustration among the youth. When jobs are not being filled or created afresh what does the quota mean?

Mr. Modi came to power in 2014 on the promise of creating two crore jobs every year. Rather than creating more jobs he has landed up with reduction of jobs in informal sector due to demonetization. The ‘Make in India’ which was supposed to create jobs turned out to be a flop. With the growing unemployment not only we need think of our industrial policies but also focus on how we implement affirmative action. People are suffering due to social injustice and also due to discrimination on ground of religion. Rangnath Mishra Committee and Sachar Committee reports tell us the massive discrimination against Muslim minorities. How do we march towards a society with justice in this scenario? The short sighted Jumla led leaders cannot deliver justice or jobs. We need an inclusive government with inclusive agenda to address the ills of our society.

This so called reservation for economically backward section of society is yet another attempt by Modi-BJP to throw up another jumla, which has no content as for as implications on poorer upper caste is concerned. At another level bringing in economic criterion in the reservations is an admission of failure to alleviate poverty. It is also an attempt to undo the very basis of reservation as given in our Constitution, and that is social injustice, the social hierarchy. Reservation is not a poverty alleviation program, which any way needs to be undertaken. This again is just not possible by a government, which is more concerned about favoring big Corporate in its policy making.

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.
Charan Kumar | coastaldigest.com
June 24,2020

Bengaluru, June 24: City-based I Monetary Advisory (IMA), which duped thousands of families, mostly Muslims, in the name of halal investment, has become a bitter reality of "we were robbed by our own people". All the accused except its CEO Mohammad Mansoor Khan have been released on bail in this ponzi scam worth thousands of crores of rupees.

The scam has not only been investigated by SIT and CBI, but it has reverberated many times in the Assembly, corridors of power, and in the courts.

Around 80,000 investors are in trouble after the Monetary Advisory (IMA) scam came to light. Many investors have left this world, many families have split, many marriages have broken down and many have become unemployed, homeless, helpless and hapless. One of the senior IAS office, who had faced arrest in the scam, reportedly killed himself just a day ago.

It has been more than a year since this multi-billion scam came to light. But the affected families still do not see any ray of hope. The government, led by senior IAS officer Harsh Gupta, has set up a special competent authority to address investor grievances in the matter.

According to information provided by Harsh Gupta, investors have to be paid Rs 2,900 crore. But the value of the company's assets seized so far could be around Rs 450 crore. The process of auctioning the assets has not started yet. The authority has developed an online portal for submission of claim forms from investors. But the process of taking applications has not started yet. Syed Gulab, a social worker overseeing the case, says that after all the claim forms have been submitted, we will get a clear picture about the exact number of investors and the total amount of arrears. But this process may take a few more months to complete.

Senior journalist Maqbool Ahmed Siraj says that IMA has systematically deceived people in the name of halal investment through capital scheme. In 2006, Muhammad Mansoor Khan, a one-time small businessman, set up a company. He began to attract large number of investors by creating the greed for more profit among middle class and poor people.

By 2015, the company had received money from more than 12,000 investors and continued to pay monthly profits. By the time the company closed in 2019, 80,000 people had invested their hard-earned money here. In Bengaluru, the company expanded its reach by investing in two major gold showrooms, hospitals, schools, several medical stores, a publishing center, a supermarket, and real estate firm.

Mr Siraj says that Mansoor Khan and his team not only lured the poor and middle class to pursue their own interests but also created a favourable atmosphere for their so called business by winning the hearts of politicians, government officials, clerics, religious institutions and media.

Unsuspecting people invested their money in a bid to make more profit in less time. When the company stopped making profits and Mansoor Khan suddenly fled on June 9, 2019, the investors woke up the to the reality.

Apart from residents of Bengaluru and other parts of Karnataka, people from Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Maharashtra other states also have invested their money.

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.
News Network
March 16,2020

Mangaluru, Mar 16: As a precaution against the spread of Covid-19, the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) on Monday decided to cut down its premium, non-AC sleeper, Rajahamsa and express bus services from Mangaluru to Bengaluru and Kasaragod following poor patronage.

The cut down in services is as per the direction of KSRTC's Central office that wants bus services to be operated on priority.

KSRTC Mangaluru Divisional Controller S N Arun said that the corporation has decided to cut down 40 trips to Bengaluru. Concerning Kasaragod, it has reduced the number of trips from 40 to 35. "These include a reduction in services to Mysuru and Dharmasthala also," he added.

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.
News Network
January 31,2020

Mangaluru, Jan 31: Mahesh Vikram Hegde, the co-founder of website 'Postcard News', known for spreading fake news on behalf of Sangh Parivar, was taken aback when he was asked to sing 'Vande Mataram' to prove his patriotism by a group of women activists at Mangaluru International Airport.

The video of the incident which occurred on Friday, days after editor-in-chief and co-founder of Republic TV Arnab Goswami was heckled by comedian Kunal Kamra on a flight, went viral on social media within hours.

Hegde was spotted by social activist Kavitha Reddy, and other young orators – Najma Nazeer and Amulya Leona – at the airport where he was waiting to board a plane to Bengaluru.

In a video, the three women are seen coercing Hegde to sing 'Vande Mataram' and prove his patriotism. In another video being circulated, the women are heard telling the journalist that he is getting an opportunity to become a 'hero' from 'zero' if he sings 'Vande Mataram.' However, he refused to open his mouth.

Reddy is seen asking Hegde whether he knew the time when Nathuram Godse assassinated Mahatma Gandhi.

Hegde was arrested in 2018 for posting a fake news aimed at creating communal conflict.

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.