Reservation is nothing, but a political weapon

Reservation has been used in our country as an instrument of politics by the political parties. They have supported caste-based reservation for nothing but to create a vote bank for themselves. They have no concern for their development. If they were concerned, they would have spoken of economic criterion as basis for reservation. The main motive of reservation is to strengthen the people economically. That is why whoever is economically weak must be given reservation in govt. job. Almost all political parties except the Left have used the issue of reservation as an instrument of politics whenever they got opportunity. Andhra Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu had promised the Kapu community to include it in backward caste category, but he failed to deliver. That is why the people of Kapu community protested violently to demand for their inclusion in backward caste category. Before this, Jat and Gujjar castes have already launched agitation for their inclusion in backward caste category to avail the benefit of reservation in government job and admission in all educational institutions. No political party in the country has so far opposed the agitation for reservation by the people of any caste and community. Neither any political party has opposed it nor advocated for reservation to be based only on the weak economic position of the people. The caste has been accepted as the sole criterion of reservation in our Constitution since it was implemented. There is also a constitutional provision to make appraisal of reservation provided to weaker section (SC/ST), socially and educationally backward castes every ten years. But since it was brought into force, no appraisal has been made as yet. Reservation was granted originally to SC/ST to bring them on equal footing with the people of upper strata of society. They were considered for reservation because they were economically weak, socially and educationally backward. But it has never been known whether reservation has benefited them on the ground or not. The ground reality of reservation is that the people among the reserved category who really deserves did not get it because of poverty. They could not go to school, college or university because of poverty. Without having educational qualification, it was impossible for them to get reservation. Instead, the rich among the reserved categories have availed all its benefits. In this way the people for whom reservation was introduced remained deprived of its benefit in society. So, the poor among them became poorer and the rich became richer. The reservation did not serve any purpose. If the criterion of reservation had been economic, the rich among any section or caste of the society could be excluded automatically. Whoever is poor irrespective of caste, creed and community deserves reservation. It is not that only SC/STs or OBCs are economically weak, socially and educationally backward but also the majority of upper castes is economically weak. Economic backwardness is the biggest bane. And unemployment is its main cause. Weaker section among upper caste also needs reservation in govt. job and for admission in educational institutions as much as SC/ST or OBCs do. It is no matter whether the people are from upper or backward caste if they are economically weak, they must be granted reservation.