Recently, the Supreme Court ruled that creamy layer be identified among Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes so more deprived ones among these two categories might get benefit of reservation. Unfortunately, politics prevailed over this ruling which could have been a watershed measure to give a chance to more unfortunates among these two sections to improve their future.
Prime Minister Modi went into a huddle with his cabinet and party colleagues and announced that he would never touch the prevailing reservation system for SCs and STs. The Opposition was not content — almost the opposition leaders wanted a Constitutional amendment to ‘protect’ interests of these groups.
Does the present system protect interests of SCs and STs? Yes, it protects — there is no doubt about it. Does it protect interests of really deprived ones among these groups? The answer is dicey.
One of my next-door neighbours working with a public sector undertaking moved from a mechanic to officer level 7. Nothing wrong with that. His three children got educated from the premier universities and institutes and are well settled in life. Nothing wrong with that also. His grandchildren are studying in top class private schools. Should they get benefit of reservation when it comes to employment? My answer is a big no. They are well settled in NCR, drive swanky cars, own big houses and enjoy luxuries that are envy of many.
The same is the story of another family. The head of this family also worked with a PSU and rose from an entry level officer to deputy general manager. His children should not have got any benefit of reservation, but they got. His elder son is country marketing head of one of the top computer companies and must be getting salary in seven figures. Why should his children’s children should get any preferential treatment? But they continue to get it.
You look around yourself and will find similar instances around you. A new bourgeois class has emerged among SCs and STs and this class is strangulating progress of remaining by occupying the seats that would have otherwise gone to less privileged ones. Unfortunately, the political class, including SC and ST politicians, are throwing their weight behind the privileged ones.
My dear sisters and brothers from among SCs and STs, please arise, awake and stop not till the goal is reached. And that goal is your betterment — even if you have to struggle for a new order where you have your dignified place.
