10 years! 10 years is what the framers of the constitution had in mind, when they put in place a comprehensive system of 'affirmative action', seeking to correct centuries' worth of wrongs and raise the downtrodden and the ill-treated to their rightful place in the modern Indian state. Reservation was perhaps the only way in which a nation, used to treating some of its own, worse than even the dirt on their feet, could begin to accept and acknowledge their presence. Over a period of time, vote bank politics have overridden the glorious objectives with which reservation had been introduced in India. 6 decades since the constitution was brought into force, Reservation is the symbol of how the political class has distorted the meaning of reservation and has used and abused it to its own petty advantage.
6 decades ago, one would be ashamed to say that he belonged to a so-called lower class, so strong and overbearing was the control of the society. Today, you have the erstwhile upper classes clamoring to be included in the list of scheduled castes and tribes, to bring to them the benefits of education, jobs and what not. Was the purpose of introducing reservations to turn the social order upside down or was it bring the downtrodden at par with the upper castes and eliminate inequality? In today's modern democratic India, who are the downtrodden? Are they necessarily the ones who belong to a lower caste or are they those who cannot afford 2 square meals a day? In that light, how does it matter if I am a Brahmin or a Harijan? I deserve to get the state's attention because of my plight and I certainly don't deserve the state's apathy because I was born in a so-called affluent caste!
The concept of reservation has been used and abused badly. Congress and its stooges have been heard supporting the cause of reservation on religious basis! To play vote bank politics is one thing, to put the existence of a nation at risk is completely different! Had Congress supported the Muslim League's demand for reservation for Muslims and community-based reservation in the 40s, we might have had a United India with a Congress-Muslim League coalition as the ruling combine!
You can choose to dismiss the need for Lokpal. But, You cannot dismiss it on the grounds that reservation for weaker sections is not in place in the Lokpal- to be!
Reservation is completely justifiable. But it is acceptable only on economic grounds. Any other type of reservation implies that vote bank pandering is being resorted to.
Given today's fractured polity, it seems unlikely that any political dispensation would support the cause of re-defining reservation. That move would be suicidal!
But only if someone could, if for nothing else, for the sake of the nation!
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