MEASURE FOR MEASURE
The spirit of man is the essential
feature of Hindu religion. How and when the disgrace of casteism
managed to creep in is a mystery. As such, reservations are probably not ju=
st
mere benefits. Maybe they are a reminder time and again to a self- sufficie=
nt,
modern gloating clan, that even today there are social outcasts amongst hum=
ans that
are constantly being degraded somewhere.
But what is totally amiss, is that =
while
a privileged few keep reaping the benefits, some remote villages still cont=
inue
to live in the dark ages. They still suffer from limited social advancement,
having no jobs, no marriage choices and no basic respect. There are still
places where these people have separate colonies, buses, canteens, ponds an=
d even
wells. Our politicians need to have a basic insight into these predicaments=
. Our
society needs to recognize these problems. Just exalting a few academically=
or
officially is not the answer. The entire mental make up has to change.
As regards the percentage of quota =
in
higher institutions, anything within limits is appeasing to ones senses. But
when true merit is often overlooked for an easy permit, a sluggish sense of
displeasure among peers slowly starts to mount. When unwanted subvention is
granted in place of genuine need, a deliberate escalation of social injusti=
ce starts
to spread in the entire milieu. The only fair answer would be an overall in=
crease
of seats in primary levels, based on the family’s economic needs. An
overall increase in the higher levels can also be targeted but here it shou=
ld
be evenly balanced- only for the cream to step in. Without any caste bias a=
nd
without any ill feeling among peers!
Many of us have reared=
our
children without any bias against caste or community. But thanks to the pre=
sent
state of affairs, some of today’s disillusioned children are as aware=
of
caste and class as never before. And thanks to the scheming politicians,
spurious certificates have desperately begun to mushroom all over the count=
ry
like never before. Is that what we need? Forged emotions and fake
certificates?
&n=
bsp;
I have no reservations
against reservation. In fact for centuries together the treatment meted out=
by
the so- called elite classes was so degrading that even if twenty generatio=
ns
of the reserved class were granted subsidy, it would still not suffice. But=
merit
in a modern world cannot be quantified in a ‘measure for measure̵=
7;
scale. Recognition is not a ballot box where sentiments or respect can be c=
ast
as votes. Genuine stipulations cannot be turned into political reserve bank=
s. Basic
education should be granted to all in equal terms. But once the edification=
is raised
to a higher level where the platforms are evened out, individual ability sh=
ould
take precedence. Just like any social group cannot be termed as outcastes f=
or
no rational explanation, none can also be exalted to the altar for self-cen=
tered
political reasons. The main purpose of reservations was to pull up the back=
ward
class into the mainstream. It was never to drag down the rest into oblivion=
.