- If there is one issue that never fails to unite politicians, irrespective of party affiliations, it is smelling an opportunity to position themselves to reap the limelight on matters of greater importance. Anything that allows our political leaders in consolidating the assiduously built vote banks is lapped up with absolute delight. Over the years, the country is witness to any number of instances showcasing such an affinity on the part of the political creed. As you are aware, the political landscape in the country has metamorphosed over the decades largely based on cultivating an incomprehensible caste matrix from where the leaders emerge as representatives. Obligation to reciprocate to the community thus compels our leaders to indulge in seeking more pie on caste lines.
PC: Team Leverage Edu
- Indeed, there was a time when affirmative action had to be implemented to correct the historic suppression of the marginalized and disgraceful practice of untouchability that torched the majority of the population for centuries. Successive governments – both at the central and states – have enthusiastically propagated quotas and reservations for the deprived post-independence. Now, the situation has reached such a stage that even communities that are far from being categorized as marginalized or suppressed or deprived are also wanting a pie of the quota and reservation conundrum. Against this backdrop, in an extraordinary show of unanimity, the Constitution (127th Amendment) Bill was passed recently though the Lok Sabha was adjourned sine die.
- We all know how unproductive the monsoon session of the Parliament turned out to be where hardly any worthy transactions took place, save for few bills getting passed without a debate. This Amendment Bill aims to negate the outcome of a Supreme Court judgment in May which said that only the Government of India can identify OBC groups to benefit from the reservation. No wonder, all political parties agree that states too should have the right to pick beneficiaries that allows them to impress the electorates by offering quotas and reservations in government jobs and education. Sadly, what started as affirmative action to level the playing field has morphed into a populist exercise that no political party can resist.
PC: Kartik Mago
- Identity politics has served its purpose and the way out in the present-day development-oriented aspirational society is to encourage all-encompassing merit-based opportunities with a strong inclination to further the idea of common citizenship, bereft of casteism. The anachronistic methodology adopted by the political parties to find pressing economic answers through the prism of identity does not behoove a nation aspiring to be counted amongst the superpowers. Relegating individual effort to group identity spawns narrower and narrower ways of looking at the world. The political backing for the sub-categorization of OBCs and SCs will always lead to a group that believes it’s been unfairly treated.
- Rather than myopically looking at short term gains of indulging in petty politicking, the political class should collectively emphasize providing more opportunities for the marginalized and deprived section of society vis-à-vis encouragement to embrace self-reliance, entrepreneurship, quality education, merit-based ascendancy, and to imbibe a sense of achievement through hard work without taking umbrage under quotas and reservations. Making concerted efforts at provisioning such an environment would do the nation a world of good for sure. Unfortunately, India’s political class thinks otherwise and is content in exploiting the caste undercurrents to further their own diabolical cause. Time to grow up!
