Cong must consider Dwivedi’s views on reservation

Congress party must consider the suggestion of its Spokesperson and General Secretary Janardan Dwivedi that reservation must be based only on economic criteria, and not caste to uplift the society. He has made a blistering attack on the growing casteist policy being pursued by regional leaders mostly to build a secure caste-based vote bank for them. Caste-based reservation divides the society vertically on caste lines. Though advocacy of doing away with caste-based reservation and replacing it with economic-based reservation is Dwivedi’s personal view, the Congress Party President Sonia Gandhi, Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh and party Vice President Rahul Gandhi must consider his view on reservation in the present day perspective. His view on reservation is most welcome to serve the true purpose of society. Reservation has only been provided to all sections of society on equal pedestal. And it can be only possible when reservation for jobs and admission in eduactional instution will only be based on economic basis. Now, the caste-based reservation in govt. jobs, admission in educational institutions has been in force for more than 60 years. However, no assessment has ever been made whether it has benefited the socially and educationally backward class people to serve the purpose or its benefit has been availed only by the people of socially and economically people of upper strata among backward classes, and the economically backward in real term have remained deprived of reservation benefit. It is a fact that the benefit of reservation in government/ PSUs jobs and admission in educational institutions has not reached to the really poor among OBCs or SC/STs. The benefit of reservation has either been availed by sons and daughters of the well off political leaders among SC/ ST, OBCs or by the effluent class people among them. Caste-based reservation may be according to the spirit of our Constitution but it has certainly not been beneficial to people who are really economically backward among reservation castes. Reservation also is a compromise with merit. It is retarding the growth of the nation, which is starkly evident that even after 65 years of Independence; we are lagging behind development in several aspects because of the caste-based reservation. Congress Party has been the chief exponent of caste-based reservation since its introduction. Caste-based reservation has only divided the society and promoted acrimony. Merit has been given a go by. So, the time has come to re-think on the issue of reservation by the political parties in power why we should not replace caste-based reservation with economic-based one to uplift the society in real sense of the spirit of Constitution. If economy is made the sole criterion of reservation, the larger number of people among SC/STs and OBCs will be benefited because they account for the largest number of reserved class people. Economic-based reservation will only serve the purpose for which our Constitutional maker incorporated the provision of reservation in our Constitution. If economy is made the sole criteria for reservation, it will only be opposed by castiest political leaders who are themselves well off and availed all the benefits of reservation by exploiting their poor caste men politically. Congress General Secretary Janardan Dwivedi has given an excellent idea to the party for fighting against poverty and casteism in society. So, the Congress Party must consider it in right earnest. It will bring about a revolutionary change in society and prove a game changer if the Congress Party supports Dwivedi’s views on reservation.