How right are caste based reservations ?


Reservations have today become a big reality in the present India. Most of our governments are only busy in giving more and more reservation to the different castes or groups in the society. Reservations have old history in India, as long as 1921, when caste based reservation was provided to the people of Madras Presidency. From then, reservations are provided in our nation from time to time to different sections or groups of societies. In 1990, this whole process got intensified with implementation of recommendations made by Mandal Commission. This whole process saw a lot of protest from the student class and lives of number of innocent students gone due to it.

Recently in 2005, through 93rd constitutional amendment government also introduced 27% reservation for the OBCs (other backward classes) which is presently under the preview of Supreme Court of India. Most recent protests in this series are protest from the Gujjar community of Rajasthan for their inclusion in ST list. This agitation of the Gujjar community nearly paralyzed day to day life in Rajasthan and even intensified to inter caste rivalry. This was the first major incidence in the reservation politics which made many intellectuals and political parties to see the reservation issue in different light.

Reservation has today become a major social issue and therefore needs a more depth solution for this problem. So far most of the governments have used reservation for more political benefits and less for the benefits of the people. Though, there are few proofs available from the southern sates where reservations have helped the lower castes. However, same kind of the solutions cannot be implemented to the whole nation because different states have different issues. Second our government needs to get the latest data and conduct fresh studies on the success of reservation policies, for example Mandal Commissions used 1930 census data for granting the reservation.

At a present, question in front of us is to get the right solution for the people problems and not just implements of newer and newer reservations. As per our constitution, there should be no discrimination on the basis of the religion, race, caste, sex and place of birth but unthoughtful reservation policies are only altering with the basic right of every Indian. Moreover, these reservations are also dividing Indians on the name of castes or groups which is a sign of a concern for our nation in the long run and if not properly dealt, can have harsh impact on the calm social climate of India.

Farmers losing their grounds in India :

The question which comes in front of us is that what the rights of the people of singur are? Is it justified to take the land from innocent farmers and give it to the industrialists? For example if we take this thing on our self like if we are living in a place for years together and someday some one says us to leave from there then how we will feel like. When there is so much waste land present in our country then why our governments are allotting lands of farmers to the industries.

Farmer community has given lot to our country and we all can not forget about their sacrifices. It is a very difficult task to think of India with out our farmers; however the tragedy is that we are not only forgetting our farmers but also making them home less. We all will agree that industrial growth is important but it should not be done on the cost of our farmers. Today we may not be dependent on our farmers and we may need cars more than the food items but still India can not afford to lose its farmers which has major role in its construction.


Arvind Katoch : Ludhiana

Hanging fate of Kashmir :

Kashmir is long pending and burning issue for last sixty years. India and Pakistan are both able to get the freedom but unfortunately Kashmir is still searching for its freedom. Kashmir may be in the control of India or Pakistan is not able to get its identity. Neither Pakistan have complete Kashmir nor India, in between both the countries people of the Kashmir are suffering. Pakistan’s support to the Kashmiri militants has even created more difficult problems for the people in Kashmir. Both countries only want to control Kashmir due to various strategic reasons but no one thinks about the emotions and aspirations of the people in Kashmir. India can not run from the Kashmir issue by blaming Pakistan because India is also not able to provide the complete justice with the people of Kashmir. Dividing people on the basis of the religion is not a fun any more; the man need of all the human beings of the world is better development. Kashmir also needs the same.

Arvind Katoch : Ludhiana

Increasing Violence:

Increasing violence around shows a great concern for most of the people. This violence is taking the life of many innocent people around the world. This violence has many root causes associated with it. Some times it is religious violence, some times it by the terrorists, sometimes it is by the state polices and sometimes due to regional issues.

Even some violence involving few people is very common. It is hard to imagine that who is not affected with this violence. Many times it becomes very hard to imagine that which place is safe for us. Terrorist can attack us any time or religious violence can destroy everything of us. Consider these two stories, few soldiers of the Indian army killed five other fellow soldiers and jeweler was killed by the robbers in the day light.

Violence has found a stable place in our life, therefore it become very hard to imagine that this world is safe for us. We all need to create a positive atmosphere of healthy living for making a violence fee world. However the increasing violence is giving only hint that no efforts are being made in this direction.

Arvind Katoch : Ludhiana

Increasing Crime Rate of Indian Armed Forces :

One after other criminal incidents by the Indian armed forces is putting many questions on the way of working of armed forces in India. Armed forces which used to hold lots of honor for saving the lives of countrymen at the boarder are today involved in torturing or killing those same countrymen. Yesterday brutal killing of two innocent civilians by the four BSF personal at Thakurpur (District Gurdaspur) shows the ugly face of armed forces and indicates towards decreasing credibility of Indian armed forces.

In the recent few years, there is an alarmingly high increase in the criminal attacks by the armed forces on the innocent civilians. If savers of our life start becoming takers of lives then on whom we can trust for our lives. As per the news reference from the Indian leading daily Times of India, these all the four BSF personal were drunk and two of them were on duty. Increasing number of these incidents require an immediate action from the Indian government before the whole situation became more alarming.

The actual numbers of incidences of crime by the armed personals on the civilians are much more then reported because many poor people are not able to file complains against them. Already Army headquarters and Indian government has admitted the increasing frustration levels among the Jawans and officers due to long isolated and tense life. Indian armed has maintained a good reputation for the long period but these incidences are putting shadow on its credibility, therefore some big introspection is required on the part of armed forces to save its falling reputation.

Arvind Katoch : Ludhiana