Quota policy should not be seen as a political tool but as a means to address social inequalities
Published Date – Monday, 08/05/23 at 12:30pm
people
Gowd Kiran Kumar
Hyderabad: Recent political developments in the three states reflect the divisive nature of the BJP and its stance on reservations for providing proportionate population to SC, ST and OBC.
First, the Karnataka government decided to remove the 4% reservation for Muslims. The Supreme Court immediately said the decision appeared to be flawed and on shaky ground. Second, the Jharkhand governor returned a bill that sought to increase the retention rate for OBCs from 14% to 27%, SC from 10% to 12%, ST from 26% to 28%, and provide 10% of the EWS quota.
Third, Home Minister Amit Shah said that the BJP will end the 4% reservation for Muslims and allocate it to SC, ST and BC in Telangana. However, he did not comment on increasing retention in proportion to the SC, ST and BC populations. As we head into an election year, reservations are at the center of Indian politics.
divisive politics
The Bommai government’s decision to abolish Muslim quotas and allocate them to Lingayat communities and Vokkaligas has led to accusations of anti-minority sentiment within the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party. The move will increase Vokkaligas’ retention rate from the existing 4% to 6%, while Lingayats’ retention rate will increase from 5% to 7%. Critics argue that the exclusion of Muslims from the reservation is unjustified and reflects a broader trend of discrimination against minorities within the BJP. They point to the decision undermining states’ reservations about Muslims following systematic studies of their socioeconomic and political conditions by prominent jurists and experts.
The seven-member Sachar committee formed to study the social, educational and economic conditions of Muslims in India concluded that they were inferior to SC and ST. Therefore, they need government support. The decision to lift the reservation goes against that advice and ignores the real struggles the community is facing.
Also, the decision to extend bookings to Lingayat communities and Vokkaligas has been questioned. Some argue that these communities could have benefited more from the 10% EWS set aside, which aims to uplift economically disadvantaged groups, regardless of caste or religion. The decisions appear to be politically motivated, aimed at pleasing certain vote banks.
While the issue of retention is complex and requires careful consideration, it is important that any decisions be based on transparent and fair criteria and not perpetuate discrimination or undermine efforts to uplift marginalized communities.
ignore status
Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemanth Soren, seeking to expand the state’s reservations for SC, ST and OBC, passed a bill to increase the quota from 60% to 77%. However, Governor CP Radhakrishnan sent the bill back to Parliament. Interestingly, Radhakrishnan is a two-term BJP MP and a former BJP President of Tamil Nadu. Despite social justice policies in his own state, Radhakrishnan chose not to agree to the bill. The main question here is whether the OBC in Jharkhand is interested in raising the retention rate from 14% to 27% or whether the divisive politics of the BJP is aimed at ensuring minimal retention interest for the OBC in the state. This has raised concerns about the political motivation behind Radhakrishnan’s decision to reject the bill and its impact on marginalized communities in the state.
Amit Shah has been raising the issue of abolishing the 4% Muslim reservation in Telangana state. He argued that reservations based on religion were unconstitutional. However, due to the social and educational backwardness of Muslims, almost all southern states have reservations for Muslims. The BJP’s focus on the issue has been seen as an attempt to drive a rift between Hindus and Muslims.
Interestingly, the BJP did not comment on the resolution sent to the Centre, which raised the retention rate for the tribes in Telangana from 7.5% to 10%. BC in the state is looking to implement reservations in proportion to its population, similar to Tamil Nadu’s reservation policy.
Tamil Nadu has implemented a comprehensive booking policy, providing a total of 69% of the bookings. This includes 30% for OBC, 20% for the lowest category (MBC), 18% for SC and 1% for ST. The Tamil Nadu Backward Classes, Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Reserved Seats in Educational Institutions and Appointments or Positions in State Service) Act 1993 was included in the Ninth Schedule to the Constitution, ensuring that it would not be in any court.
Inspired by Tamil Nadu, Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao is exploring options to increase booking discounts in BC, SC and ST. The socio-demographic composition of Telangana differs from Andhra Pradesh with more than 56% BCs, 18% SCs and 10% STs. Understanding the historical and social context of each country is critical when developing retention policies. The goal should be to create a more equitable society where opportunities and resources are available to all communities.
caste census
The need for caste census has been a long-standing requirement of OBCs and many states including Telangana have passed resolutions and sent them to the Center for action. However, the Modi government has remained silent on the issue. Although then-Home Minister Rajnath Singh initially pledged to conduct a caste census in 2021, the government took a sharp turn on the issue after winning the 2019 general election.
Given that the judiciary has been relying on the social and educational underdevelopment of the OBC community in reservation-related cases, conducting a caste census is essential to gather the necessary social, educational and economic data. The census is a union subject and it is the center’s responsibility to take a stand on the matter. The census data will help the government convince the courts to break the 50% retention cap.
It is important to evaluate booking policies against objective criteria. They should not be seen as a political tool, but as a means to address social inequalities. It should be handled sensitively and with an understanding of the historical and social context. Ultimately, the goal should be to create a more equitable society where all communities have equal access to opportunities and resources. Rationally thinking SC, ST and OBC must reject any form of divisive politics by the BJP on reservation and reward any attempt to empower their communities socially and educationally.
