Misguided Representation Continued....

Finally, the Lower House has passed the Economically Weaker Section Reservation Bill by 319 'Yes' and 04 'No'. Most probably 04 'No' would either from RJD and Owaisi's Party, because they vocally opposed the bill  at their best. Since, the bill itself was like 'demonetization' as per it's timing, so no one got any chance to seek some material other than supporting it. Needless to say that it is political move and Modi bounded  every one with his unprecedented stunt. Although, this is not final because the bill has to go through the Rajya Sabha, but that would be proved a formality because no one has guts to oppose it in a bunch. 


Recent bad in three Hindi-heartland compelled government to come at this stage, where NOTA was understood as a reason for defeat with a couple of other factors,.i.e. Rafael controversy and Farm-loan waiver. Just after election result, BJP managed to control the damage via the verdict of Supreme Court on Rafael and moreover the parliamentary debate. And now, NOTA turned into QUOTA.


Whether this move will turn into fuel  or a last nail in the coffin, is in the core of future. But no one can deny that Modi proved himself as a statesman. On the other hand, such election gimmick works often for corresponding opposition, not the ruling one. For instance BJP assures about Jat-reservation and came into power in Haryana in 2014 . INC together with Hardik Patel played for Patel-reservation and gave a tight fight to BJP in Gujraat. But when INC, itself was in power in Maharashtra and announced reservation for Maratha and Muslim, they were defeated in 2014. Again INC played similar move in Karnatka, during last state election, when they gave minority status to Lingayats but they performed badly. 

Reservation for so-called upper caste is not first time proposal. Apart from current move, another sincere move was played by Vasundhra Raje in Rajsthan, way before state election. But proposal was dismissed due to the lack of constitutional validity. Same thing happened, when BJP led Haryana government did it for Jat, after Jat agitation. But these agitation (also Patel in Gijrat) and legislations made a favorable condition and the breaker was that 50%  cap by Supreme Court. Doing something for privileged class as per quota was understood politically incorrect. But NOTA-politics worked and if the current bill becomes an act then, it would be the solution for all the above explained demand related to reservation.

But this bill lacks the very ethos of representation, for which the concept of reservation came at the first place. Because reservation is limited to jobs and admission in institution(private also) except minorities'. Now the question is whether these upper castes and the upper class of minorities are under represented . Except Muslims, representation of upper castes and the upper class of all minorities are well represented and way better represented than their population share. The fact is,despite reservation STs/SCs and OBCs are under-represented in executive and legislative.  Upper House of parliament and various state-assembly do not cope up with ideal representation.

Lay-man perception of reservation is like poverty eradication provision. And poverty does not come by asking castes and religion. So, a prompt demand is always there to have an economy based reservation system. This bill somehow full-fill  that demand, but not what B. R. Ambedekar advocated for. Ambedekar wanted it as per population share and his blood less effort did it for STs and SCs. But later the Mandal Politics damaged the chart, when only politically correct recommendation of Mondal Commission was adopted. So,  dominant castes  came under the pursuit of reservation and a new wave of caste politics came into exist, probably never ending existence. Many a time, it challenges the integrity of country too. Talent and intelligence began to compromised and gone to it's level next, when reservation was sanctioned to educational institution, which was also contrary to Ambedekar's thought.

So, vote bank politics there, during Mandal in 1990 and after 30 year of that, is capable to seize all other debates. This game of talent degradation would have gone even larger if Supreme Court has not put that cap of 50% . But this time, that boundary line would be broken, and it seems that the Supreme Court would be unable to stop it, because government has done it by passing an amendment bill, not a mere notification like earlier.

Despite insufficient public sector jobs, reservation stand erect because it gives prominent chance to enter into educational institution. Regardless of fixed criteria and eligibility, one can avail easy admission in top institution, if he/she is positively discriminated in constitution. So saying this, that reservation is of no use when there is no jobs, is actually illogical to argue. Anyone can see, ironic situation during any entrance exams . Let's say JEE, NEET, CAT, MAT and admission in central universities etc. Age relaxation and fee-refund are other privileges.

So, once the cap of 50% is broken, the demand for reservation as per population would get a clear pace. Which will be translated into undermining of intelligence. Further service would be undermined, because relatively less eligible ticket booker at railway station, less eligible cashier at bank, less eligible teacher at schools etc., will be recruited.

Reservation is one of the reason before paling government services. Since, private sector does not come under this pursuit, its result and outcome is fruitful.Let's say Reliance Industries, Tata Sons.,Mittal Steels, Flip-cart, Jamato etc.  Apart from private sector, institution like ISRO, Army and  higher judiciary have made global credibility because they value talent at most. Giving separate reservation quota to those, who themselves opposed reservation for most of the time, is not only a cheap-cum-wise step but also lethal in long run.

May be in coming days, there would be 100% reservation. Each one would be given as per its population based on caste-language identity . Situation would become more like Pakistan, where reserved quota is 92.5%.

In course of becoming Ambedekar of 21st century and to intensify vote-bank, Narendra Modi is going to challenge constitutionality and constitutional-ism.