reserved...

Reservations in Inda.

As the cabinet passed the Quota bill, it moves now the Lok Sabha. It will provide 27% reservation seats for backward classes in state funded institutions like IIT and IIM. Apparently, its been a cake-walk for students from "affluent" backgrounds to get into these colleges.

Where is the forum for discussion on this matter? I can't understand this process. How are we truly democratic if decisions like this are just... 'made'.

Someone once defined a 'perfect' democracy as a nation where all the lobby groups have equal finances and push/pull with the governing body. I see the governing body. But where are the lobby groups? Is the only way to speak to the government through news agencies now? Filtered for ratings? Are they the people's voice of sorts? What really happens here? Medical Students - kids no older than 30 years of age being hosed down on the streets because they want to march up to the Supreme court? What is going on? Do we no longer have the right to protest? To voice our opinion? What is this surreal world I'm living in? -in which it seems even the perception of freedom is trampled upon. Are these protests not enough for the government to re-consider its proposed actions?

I am against the concept of Reservations. This is in line with my views on Affirmative Action in the U.S. as well. I admit, that 'casteism' has held back the "backward classes" and they have not had the opportunities to rise above the past (and present - depending on where you live). But this is backing into a solution rather than tackling it at the roots.

In past posts I have spoken of a cohesive India and this is far from that India. The only thing that has ever brought this country's citizens together is War. Patriotism, if you will. It is rather unfortunate I think.

Amongst us there is a dissention - Casteism, sexism, class-ism, religious sect-ism... and a trillion other 'isms'. Our hope... my hope... rested with the younger generations and their ability to, intelligently, decipher these politically-driven lines drawn in the past and rub them out with time. But then our government, for what seem more like political reasons than anything else, is now drawing a new line. Split down the middle amongst the younger generations - the youth that is meant to lead this nation and carry it into its new era. They're solving the problem by implementing the problem. Not following? How can you think you are creating 'equality' - by FURTHER categorizing and classifying society at YET another level? This rationale is not even arguably logical. It is simply illogical. Period.

Reservations and Affirmative action - a quick way to get the minority vote, as far as I'm concerned. Fact is, you cannot solve a problem by creating another problem -thats hardly a solution. Worried about education? - Good! You should be. We all should be. Stop spending $2 billion on a Bomber Plane and use it to build schools and MORE institutions like IIT and IIM. Use this money for salaries to attract esteemed Professors and provide the right facilities for everyone. Give grants for Research. YES! It WILL fucking take time. But it WILL work. This country did not achieve the headlines in newspapers and whispers in international corridors over night. It took bloody 60 odd years! Sure, a considerable amount of that time was well spent on getting out of Nehru syndrome (a.k.a progress). And this change too will take time.

I can't remember who, but someone in the recent past said something along the lines of - "India has achieved great success over the past few years. It has come to be recognized internationally for its intellectual prowess, strength and contributions all around the world. But it has done all this not with the help of the government -rather, in spite of it."

I couldn't agree more.