| Reservation and Vote-bank politics in India | |||
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By: N Ravi Sankar Aug 05, 2005 Views expressed here are author’s own and not of this website. Full disclaimer is at the bottom. 
FeedbackI experienced in practical terms the following fears few years before when I consulted a M.S. Post Grad doctor in Chennai for stomach trouble. He was working for a Govt hospital. In one sitting that too in first consultation itself he concluded that I have Ulcer and gave me a highly-potent drug. On administering for two days, I was flat with no energy. Third day, my elder brother who came on that day took me to Health centre at Mambalam to consult LIM-cert doctor. He was laughing at the earlier diagnosis. but without making derogatory remarks, just asked me to eat quality food at proper times. He never gave me any restriction about the volume or variety of eating. I only had an infection resulting in radiating pain. I was surprised that an old LIM-cert good diagnose so well. I recently read in vikatan.com that in Madurai, a nurse administers injection wrongly due to which an old woman, who was largely independent on her work for the food, lost her ability to use her hand at all. The fact is that doctors and others joining the medical profession purely out of caste-certificates do great injustice to the sacred profession not only by their little knowledge and by administering sufferings, they also deprive so many other eligible dedicated learners from taking up that profession. Even after that, this section of the new medicos join the stream of "Teaching staff" giving all the more cyclical effects to the already tsunami-situation. The main reason for the above situation is the reservation policy introduced by Indira Gandhi and Jagjivan Ram. This was opposed by the Delhi students against the Mandal commission recommendations. Such opposition was brutally turned down by V.P Singh, the then PM. Recently in an article "Let`s be fair to Imrana" by Mr. Arun Jaitely,(leading lawyer & ex-MP) he reiterated that India should have uniform civil code. Excerpts are as follows. 1) Any law which violates fundamental rights would be ultra-vires the Constitution. 2) The issue involves constitutional guarantees and human rights. The National Human Rights Commission should legitimately investigate the matter and pronounce its opinion 3) If the legislature lacks the political will, the courts must step in. This article can be read at this link The main issue I would like to highlight is the violation of the equal fundamental right that was given to all the Indian citizens by birth in the 1950-constitution. Even the so called GOD of the dalits/down-troddens/low-castes namely, Dr.Ambedkar proposed and initiated "equal fundamental rights. But for the purpose of the vote-banks, our "laloos" and "babus" amended the constitution to favour the few on the basis of caste/tribes. Now the same babus and laloos are going one step further to secure reservation for Muslims. I have a strong doubt that this constitutional amendment is "ultra-vires" the constitution. Any amendment to the original law should not alter the basic objective of the original law itself and also should conform to the originally accepted principles. The constitutional amendment has deprived many of their right to equal opportunities. I only imagine that if communists come to power at the centre, can they alter the constitution to say that India is a communist country and not socially democratic country. Even as collision partner, their pressure to Manmohan singh is a known irritant now. Even if this matter is taken to court, this may not result in proper justice mainly due to the “interest” of many of the judges and their kin. The political laloos and babus think of the reservation policy mainly because most of the upper-castes do not take real interest in the political process of voting. In view of this either some-one else misuse their votes or the voting right is simply wasted. Last but not the least, I am not against a low caste/tribe individual taking good profession but as professional education, only right candidate should move up. If one really evaluate the requirements, the marks in exam reflects a student’s grit and determination in doing his work/career. If admissions are to be done for lower marks, because of case certificates, will the system turn-out better dedicated doctors. Even in IITs, there are many candidates who leave the curriculum in the middle since they could not withstand the arduous learning process. In such a case why waste the opportunity of those who are really eligible for professional studies. There should be equal opportunity for all in the professional education perspectives. Professional education gives opportunity for self-employment and that get generate more employment, provided the person is really professional. The situation is further aggravated by extending priorities to the same section Jobs. The competence of this section of professionals at work is so bad, as seen in PWD and EB, Govt hospitals, but they manage the power given to the job in the name of corruption. Ironically the BJP is named non-secular party by the entire nation including congress-I whereas in reality, Congress-I was the real non-secular party which brought-in the reservations during Indira and Jagjivan Ram’s tenure. Even at South Africa, the apartheid regime generally seemed to have divided the habitation as black or white. But presently in India constitution has divided people into many castes/tribes officially. Oonly when the birth certificates will not have religion/caste/tribe will there be a secular India. N Ravi Sankar
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