Reservation: Is It An Opium For Masses Or A Support To Classes?

Karl Marx says – Religion is opium for masses. Even if the notion is a matter of debate but as far as the Reservation in India is concerned, we can see what exactly works as opium of masses.

Reservation:  Overtly the caste reservation in India looks like an opium pill for masses. All political parties want to fetch bulk votes on the caste basis gimmick. At present, there is a lot of uproar in two states regarding caste reservation – in Chhattisgarh and Uttar Pradesh.  Be it a Congress government or a BJP government, both are bent on breaking the constitutional limit of 50 percent and look desperate to increasing the reservation upto 76 percent including other backward classes.

Reservation:   Such controversies over reservation have caught fire in Bihar and some other provinces as well. As far as Chhattisgarh is concerned, its government has passed a bill in the assembly that increases the 58 percent reservation upto 76 percent whereas a mere 4 percent reservation was thought for the economically backward. In fact, there is no such concrete data nor a logic behind this new proposed reservation system.

More than 50% reservations unconstitutional: Court

Four months ago in September 2022, the State High Court had clearly said in a decision that giving more than 50 percent reservation is unconstitutional. The Supreme Court had also said in one of its decisions that if reservation is to be given beyond the limit, then it should be measured first on all the three parameters.

The economic-educational status should be kept in view

In other words HC, ST and backward classes’ economic-educational status has to be kept in view to confirm whether they need reservation or not and whether it can be given to them or not? A survey commission should be constituted to check the factual reality in this regard. Ignoring all these conditions, all the states are making attempts to increase the reservation in a hurry. In Chhattisgarh, political attacks are being made on Governor Anasuiya Uike that she is not signing this bill at the behest of the BJP.

UP wants reservation to OBCs in local elections

If this was true then why is the UP Chief Minister adamant on giving reservation to OBCs in local elections? Akhilesh and Mayawati are also opposing this decision of Yogi, because this decision can dent their vote bank. CM Yogi has expressed his disagreement with the anti-reservation decision of the High Court and has said that unless there is a provision for this reservation, there will be no local elections in UP.

The UP government has also made a provision for a caste survey commission to fulfill the requirement of the court. Resultantly, be it a governments of Congress of BJP or JDU or Communist parties – no one has the courage to oppose caste reservation.

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The Chhg Governor wants re-consideration on it

The governor of Chhattisgarh is herself a tribal woman. She is taking many initiatives for the benefit of tribal people. If she is asking to consider this indiscriminate caste reservation peacefully, then what is wrong in that? Our courts are also not against reservation, but they are opposing indiscriminate distribution of free facilities. Thus the leaders should also think in directing as a part of their duty for the people leaving the lust for bulk votes with wrong means.