Affirmative Inaction.
This is with reference to the the brilliant analysis reservation
politics, Affirmative Inaction, (IE,4/6/12) by Pratap Bhanu Mehta.
What is the goal of reservation ? Is it just a tool to redress the
discrimination of the past ? Or is it a measure to restore social
mobility ? Or else, equal opportunity for all ? There is no precise
answer to these questions.When the Constitution was framed the eminent
legal luminaries such as Dr.B.R.Ambedkar and others it was restricted
to the scheduled castes and scheduled tribes as they were the most
backward groups of people in the country and it was restricted to ten
years.Now it has been extended to OBCs and one more category is being
added and that is,minorities. Reservation is being used for political
purposes, not to benefit the poor. Our Constitution envisages a
class-less and caste-less society. The reservation seems to perpetuate
our divisions rather making us a 'one nation'. Why not make
reservation only on the basis of income alone ? This would benefit all
poor, not just some privileged poor.
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/affirmative-inaction/957413/
June 4,2012.
******
