Mehak Gupta Grover
Reservations in India- a process of setting aside a certain percentage of seats in Government institutions for the ” Backward and under -represented ” communities. But are these seats really given to the specified group of people? Are they actually helping the down- trodden?
India is a developing country and is going through lot of challenges. Reservations were made in India to help the economically backward group of people and to improve their standard of living. It is meant to be made for the needy people based on their economical status only. But, today reservation has become one of the major challenges as it is hindering our countries growth. Present reservation system is a curse on the Indian democracy. Creating reservations on the basis of caste, religion, etc, the government itself is dividing the country. Where is the so called ‘ Right to Equality’ pointing? The actual ‘ needy group is still needy’ and people who have already prospered because of these reservations are still being given special treatments- hence creating violence and deception all over.
The courts are doing a great job by selecting the backward classes very scrutinizingly. It has rejected the inclusion of many communities in the same category due to relevant issues. But still lot of learning and understanding has to be done in order to have a well maintained peaceful country. According to my perception and I am sure, others also, reservation can be one of the major reason that our well educated and effecient citizens are leaving the country and settling abroad.
Religion, indeed, is playing an equal important role in spreading the violence in our country. Caste, Religion, etc are creating all sorts of botch. India being a secular state – still every time you fill up any form you are supposed to mention your caste. The most latest thing happening is the Meat Ban! Though I am a vegetarian, but why is it that we ban or unban certain things because particular caste demands it? All the religions in the world are based on love, peace and order. In every sacred texts, there are certain principles and rules to be followed. They are based on justice and impartiality and condemn any sort of extremism. But as the widely known saying states-‘ Rules are meant to be broken’. Many people twist and misinterpret the sacred texts like Quran, Bhagwad Geeta, Bible, etc. Why do we fight in the name of religion, caste, color? Religions do preach understanding, compassion, mercy. The fact that people fight over religion has very little to do with religious doctrine and more to do with human nature.
Great APJ Abdul Kalam rightly said-
” For great men, religion is a way of making friends; small people make religion a fighting tool”.
Being a lay man, I am always confused regarding various things. Can anyone let me know- how can we identify someone from a lower caste? Or how children learn to recognise people from different castes? It is WE who are creating differences and creating mockery of our country by fighting withing ourselves- we just love to fight. Topics can be any- Reservations, Meat ban, and endless things. It is so nicely quoted by Guru Nanak Devji –
“Before becoming a Muslim, a Sikh, a Hindu or a Christian, Lets become a human first”.
I think these frustrations will slowly be shared by all Indians including the backward classes as we proceed towards a globally networked economy and we require to be competitive to survive. Reservations are palpable as an option only in zones of our economy which are still in pre 1991 era- this means government firms and institutions. Private firms are still out of reach for the backward classes as there is cut- throat competition and skills are needed on a regular basis.
Azim Premji, wipro chairperson, said golden words- ‘ Approach life with your strength.’
Discrimination does not supersede merit. If one believes that, they are brewing up a disaster for our community. One can make the government to reserve seats for them in education and jobs but cannot ask companies to let go of profits and effeciency because someone from another caste discriminates against you! The way one uplifts oneself is to become competitive and capable and there are no shortcuts to that, no matter what our caste is.
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