RESERVATION – A BURNING ISSUE IN INDIA

By : Hemantkumar G. Padhya
The reservation or quota has been the hot and controversial topic in India during British Rule
and since after independence of India. There were many peaceful and bloody agitations took
place all over India in past on this issue of reservation. The present agitation started on 6th
July 2015 by influential ’’ Patidar Patel’’ community of Gujarat known as ’Patidar Anamat
Andolan’. The peaceful demonstration which was turned into a violent agitation later is
started under the leadership of a young activist named Hardik Bharatkumar Patel belonging
to Patidar Patel community. The ‘’Patidar Patel’’ community has not been granted OBC
Status alike other farming community of Patels by state and federal government. Although
Hardik Patel who belongs to an Upper Class or Forward Class might not be a scholarly and
highly intelligent student but he has seen, heard and experienced the unjust discriminatory
and disadvantageous system of Reservation not only to his community members but also to
all the members of Upper casts like Brahmins, Baniyas etc. as whole. When he saw that a
girl from Other Backward Community qualified for a state Government Scholarship in July
2015 with far less marks on Reservation Quota but his sister was disqualified for the same
scholarship with far higher marks because his sister and his family belong to Higher Class
status, classification or category decided by the Government of India. Hardik, who was once
a secretary of students’ Union’ and staunch Students Activist during his University life and as
a local president of Viramgam youth wing of ‘Sardar Patel Group’, was very mush upset,
disappointed and frustrated about this discriminatory, unfair and unjust experience happened
to his own sister and many of his fellow brothers and sisters in academic and employment
fields. Hardik’s frustration is not just a personal frustration of an individual but it is a hidden
volcanic frustration and dissatisfaction of every young male and female students belonging
to Higher Classes or Castes, who themselves or their friends or relatives have become the
victims of this unfair Reservation System or Scheme prevailed in education and employment
in public sectors of Central and State Government of India. This is an agony of deprived
Indian youth belonging to Higher Class or Forward Class or Advanced class. Hardik Patel
decided to take up the issue himself and formed ‘’Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti’’, a non-
political organization with the main aim and intention to make a demand to the state
Government to consider and include the Patidar Patel community in the OBC quota for the
Reservation. He gathered huge support of the youth of his community in very short time and
he and his fellow community members agitated against Government of Gujarat and central
government for their firm stand on not to grant their community OBC status on some
technical grounds laid by supreme Court in similar case of Jat Community early this year.
He arranged massive agitation in the capital and many cities of Gujarat State. The peaceful
demonstration in forma of ‘’Maha Rally’’ attended by millions at Ahmedabad or Karnavati
and other cities in Gujarat on 25th August 2015. The peaceful agitation rally later turned
violent and the bloody revolution which took eight lives, paralysed public life, caused
enormous damages to public and private properties. The Government had to call the army to
restore law and orders in many cities of Gujarat. This peaceful agitation and violent
demonstration have now added the fuel into the smouldering issue of Reservation once
again and it has transformed it into a Towering Inferno. This was not a new phenomenon as
many peaceful agitations turned violent in the history including many agitations of Mahatma
Gandhi too.

The reservation policy has a root in a communal divide and rule policy of British Government
of colonial era. As a result of the three Round Table Conferences held between 1930 and
1932, the Prime Minister Ramsay McDonald granted an award of a separate electoral
representation for different castes and religious community in British ruled India. This award
was known to be ‘’The Communal Award’’ among Indian Nationalists. Mahatma Gandhi and
many Indian leaders opposed this award of division of Indian society on the ground of their
casts, creed, communal minority, tribes, social status, religions, sub-religions and mix-race.
Mahatma Gandhi protested against this Communal Award by fasting in Yerveda jail while
serving his prison sentence there but he later agreed with all other suggestion except the
separation of Hindu and untouchable or Dalit with the provision of providing special
reservation to Dalits within the single quota of Hindus and Dalits together. This poisonous
seeds of communal division sawn by British and later agreed and supported by Mahatma
Gandhi for the interest of divide and rule policy of British has been nurtured and raised with
new agenda by Ruling as well as all other political parties of Independent India for their own
interest in a different prospects.

It is absurd and inappropriate to say that Gandhiji and the congress led first government of
Independent India is responsible for bringing the reform to eradicate untouchability and
worked towards the better opportunities for the lower-class or Dalita or Harijan or depressed
class in India society as several attempts were made in past all over India by many social
reformers, religious and social organizations and many Indian Princely states well before
19th century. After the Indian Independence, the Government of India established reservation
scheme to up lift the poor, uneducated, illiterates, depressed and unprivileged people of the
so called or classed as backward or lower cast society. There was a fundamental necessity
to provide such special status of reservation to those deserving community who were on the
lowest social and economic conditions in India. The most of Indian people from Upper cast
or advanced class or forward class also understood the situation and they saw the need of
some special help for the people like Adivasis, Dalits, Harijans and other backward
communities. They wholeheartedly supported this wellbeing scheme of reservation for the
up lift of their fellow brothers and sister who were left behind in the field of education,
economy and representation.

The reservation is the policy was decided and enforced by the Government of India In 1950
to provide special facilities to up lift the members of certain communities or classes or castes
of India who were economically poor and educationally backward. These communities were
illiterate, less fortunate, under-represented, disadvantaged and socially deprived. The other
main reason to facilitate those groups with reservation was to protect them from any
discrimination and social exclusion and bring them into the main stream of the society with
equal opportunity. Reservation is the quota of certain percentage legally and constitutionally
awarded to certain Backward Classes of India in the field of education, employment in civil
services and political representation. These peoples from backward classes were
designated in main two categories in the beginning which are Scheduled Class(SC) for
Dalits, Scheduled Tribes (ST) for Adivasis. The third category of Other Backward Classes
(OBC) was included later. It was decided and announced by ruling Janata Dal Prime Minister
Vishwanath Pratap singh on recommendation of Mandal Commission to grant special status
to remaining disadvantaged communities who does not fall into previous two categories.
This decision created widespread opposition and protests by Upper or Forward Class youth
all over northern part of India and the plan was put on hold. OBC Reservation of 27% was
upheld by Supreme Court of India on 10th April 2008 after the Interim Stay imposed with
observation that "Reservation cannot be permanent and appear to perpetuate
backwardness". OBC is the new reformed structure of the reservation called ‘’socially and
Economically Backward Castes (SEBC)’’. The Government of Gujarat headed by Congress
Party under the chief Ministership of Mr. Madhavsinh Solanki introduced the SEBC on
advice and recommendation of Bakshi Commission in 1981. The SEBC was strongly
opposed by the Upper Class or Forward Class people of Gujarat. The anti-reservation
agitation created a big havoc in Gujarat which resulted in the death of more than one
hundred people. These strong agitators forced the chief Minister Mr. Madhavsinh Solanki
and his government to resign and the SEBC plan was put to hold but later revived as OBC
scheme. Although Indian constitution and many reformers denounce the cast system, it has
been a very powerful tool to mobilise Indian electoral democracy and all Indian political
parties revolve around the mighty Vote Bank of different castes. This has forced the
inclusion of many castes into OBC category later and the trend is gradually increasing day
by day. The Government of India has also provided a special reservation status for SC, ST
and OBC people in public employment in Central and State Government under Article 15(4)
and 16(4) of Indian Constitution. According to the survey carried out by National Sample
Survey Organization in 2007 suggests that the proportion of SC, ST and OBC classes are
19.59%, 8.63% and 40.94% subsequently with 30.80% for all other remaining castes who do
not qualify for reservation.

The Reservation provided to less fortunate castes or classes by the Government of India is
in three main sectors which are education, employment and electoral representation. The
percentages of the reservation changes from one state government to another but it is
usually reviewed and increased periodically. All the political parties of India have always
exploited this reservation scheme for their own benefits and turned it into a Vote Bank
politics by increasing the percentage of reservations to appease the BC, ST and OBC class
at the costs of the Upper Class. The people who have been granted BC, ST and OBC status
also have now realised the political value of their class and have started to exploit the
political parties and politicians for the reservation in private sectors for their better interests.
The people who are classed as Upper or forward Class people like Brahmins, Baniya, Patels
etc. now strongly believe that there is no end to increasing percentages of Reservation and
growing demand by other community on the border line to consider them to grant OBC
Status. Due to this unjust Reservation policy which taking over the most seats in universities
and places in public employment sectors of federal and state Government, many people of
many castes from Upper Class Status who are on borderline of the division are anxious to
get their status changed to OSC, ST or SC class by hook or crook for encashing the benefits
of Reservation System. As a result of this situation many casts are fighting with each other to
be considered and declared as Backward . Jat, Meena, Gurjar and now Patidar Patels have
jumped onto the battle field to claim their victory and share.. The borderline communities
like Patidar, Jat , Meena and others have no choice but to fight for their reservation with a
selfish moto or to demand the abolition of Reservation policy with the help of other Upper
Castes who never ever have any chance to be considered for Reservation criteria.

Many wise Indians are now in opinion that the Reservation Quota System is unfair system
and it must end immediately and replaced by fair and just system which could stop the
Indian society battling on castes and classes system for special privileges which is now out
dated, unfair and unjust. The statistic shows that the admission given to those backwards
class students in higher education like IIT, IIM, Medical and engineering fields etc. on
Reservation Quota who had no merit to achieve even 40% in qualifying examination has
proved to be a waste of time, resources and the allocated seats as most of them dropped
out in year or two and hardly very few student who might be brighter out of whole quota
could complete their study. In such situation, it seems a big discrimination and injustice to
those Upper class students who could not get admission even though their merit and their
achievement of marks in qualifying examination would be more than 75%. If the Reservation
Quota is also made competitive on merit basis such loss would have not occurred and no
one would have raised any question or objection to the reservation quota system. There are
many faults, loopholes and weak points in this Reservation Scheme which has to be
addresses and rectified soon.

The increasing benefits to BC, ST and OBC lured many communities who are on borderline
of OBC Status like Patidar Patel community of Gujarat, have now started a vigorous
campaign to grant them OBC Status showing their electoral power and frustration towards
Reservation Policy which is wholeheartedly blessed, backed and guaranteed by all political
parties. Politically influential Jat community of nine Indian states has been claiming and
battling for their backward status for Reservation since many years have recently lost its
case in Supreme Court but their agitation has not ended yet. The Gurjar of Rajasthan
succeeded in twisting the arms of Rajasthan Government after their nine years fierce battle.
The Rajasthan Government has recently granted Gurjar Community with an unconstitutional
new SBC Status and provided 5% Reservation which was against the ruling of Supreme
Court which prohibits crossing the boundary of 50% reservation in total. Muslim Community
is also demanding separate Reservation Quota in Education institutions and employment.
After ’Patidar Anamat Andolan’ in September demanding OBC status for their community,
The Nishad or Mallah Community has started an agitation in eastern part of Bihar State and
they organised a rally on 4th September 2015 demanding their status to be changed from
OBC to BC status. There is a lucrative marathon run for Reservation Quota among many
different communities, castes and creeds to achieve the best prize and nobody knows who
the next community to join this marathon is! The issue of caste-based reservation is getting
out of hands day by day and Government of India must act before it is too late.

After nearly sixty five years or at least nearly three generations, the Upper Class have now
felt cheated and have realised that they have been the worst looser due to Reservation
scheme as their chances to get admission to colleges and Universities are now very slim
even though their children have passed the examination with distinction as the students of
SC, ST and OBC can easily get admission on Reservation Quota even though they have
acquired 40 percent in examination. Moreover, the economic condition of the parents or
families of those third generation students of Backward Class are now far better than even
those of Upper or forward class students. Now days, the Indian youth from Upper or forward
classes are afraid and worried that they have very rare chance to get job after finishing their
studies.. If they were lucky to get the job, their chances of getting a promotion is almost
impossible due to this unfair system of Reservation which is only based on one criteria of
just the class or community of an individual rather that his or her own ability, capability,
experience and qualification. This reservation system has been now abused by many people
of SC, ST and OBC classes whose grandfathers and fathers benefited from the scheme and
now they are in strong financial position to support their children alike Upper Class family
but they do not feel obliged to give up their reservation rights and financial help from states
just because they are born in those designated classes to qualify the reservation. There are
many examples where people born in a family of a millionaires or billionaires belonging to
SC, ST and OBC class enjoy all the benefits of Reservation system without any shame or
remorse ! Many people from SC, ST and OBC classes got educated and acquired high
positions with enormous salary in state and federal government under the provision of
Reservation and became well off alike Advanced Classes but their children and
grandchildren are still expecting and receiving the benefits of Reservation at the cost of
others. Many people from SC, ST and OBC classes joined the politics with or without any
higher education and became Members Of Parliament, Members of state Assembly and
even Ministers under reservation scheme and made enormous amount of money which
could be far more than many forward class peoples but they and their family members are
not willing to give up their self- proclaimed Birth Rights of reservation even though their
families social and economic condition has improved far more than many people of Upper
Class since many decades. The system of Reservation started with a good faith and welfare
intention to help poor, backward, illiterate, deprived, supressed, unprivileged and needy
people of Indian casts, classes and creeds has become an issue of exploitation, division,
prejudice, conflict and struggle in Indian society. It has now lost its motto, aim, good will and
sympathy in socio-political life of India. Reservation has now become never ending
everlasting and permanent policy of Birth Rights of BC, ST and OBC classes at the cost of
Upper, Advanced or Forward classes. The mismanagement and the politicisation of
Reservation issue have created a big division and rift between main two defined classes of
Reservation and the different castes and creed of India.

Reservation has now become the birth rights of all the castes or classes who enjoy the fruit
of the system for many decades. The BC, CT AND OBC Reservation has become a lifetime
and everlasting Royal Passport for the beneficiary Communities or castes. They would not
like to apart themselves from the golden facilities provided by Indian government until the
end of this world. It is a great misfortune that almost all Indian politicians and political parties
have no desire, intention and commitment to abolish this unfair, unjust, mismanaged and
discriminatory Reservation System because it is a life line of their Vote Bank and
appeasement policy.

Reservation was the necessity of that time and it has lasted more than sixty five years and
almost four generations which is more than sufficient to up lift those people listed as SC,
STC AND OBC. Even ShrI Bhimrao Ambedar, the father of Indian constitution, was in
opinion to provide the reservation facility for couple of decades only to up lift the poor and
disadvantaged Dalits and Tribal Communities. The subsequent ruling party and all other
opposition parties of India continued to review the reservation every ten years and never
bothered to abolish the reservation after over six decades for their petty interest and vote
Bank Politics. Many upper Class Indians have seen and experienced the evil of reservation
in education employment. Although the reservation system was started with a good faith,
intention and social justice, it has lost its meaning, morality and limits over the period. The
politicians and all political parties of India saw this social reform and improvement and
development strategy created for backward class most beneficial for their own political gain
and turned it into a vote bank politics. The benefactors of this reservation scheme gradually
have considered the reservation as a weapon for their rights and they have misused their
voting power to demand forcefully and in many case violently too. They demanded whatever
they want from the Government to profit their caste or class without any consideration for
others.

The Reservation has become the official licence for selected People of SC, STC AND OBC
classes to get Higher Education, better jobs, promotions , surety and security without
possessing any ability, capability, deep experience, skills or proper higher education. Most of
the thousands of upper class employees in government jobs who possess vast experiences,
skills, higher degrees and more seniority in their jobs have no hope to get promotion under
present policy of reservation quota and appeasement policy for minorities. Those NON-SC,
NON-STC AND NON –OBC or so called upper-class or forward class people who have no
choice but forced to work under their juniors who may be far less experienced, less educated
and less capable to justify the position because they have almost no first rights to demand
or get promotions to higher posts under this Reservation rules. The most disadvantaged
groups of past are now becoming the most advantaged groups today due to unfair and
unjust reservation policy. This politicized Reservation tagged with appeasement and vote
bank policy in present form is discriminating and snatching away the fundamental rights of
eligible candidates in education and employment and this must be stopped..

The rights of underprivileged in the society are protected by equal opportunity laws and
financial grants are offered to poor and needy irrespective of cast, creed and religions in
many countries of the world but they do not have any provision of certain percentage of
seats specially reserved for poor, needy and underprivileged people and for any ethnic or
religious minorities. The time has come for India to abolish the reservation scheme
completely as more than enough periods of several generations is given to BC, ST AND
OBC to up lift their status with the help of The Reservation Scheme. ‘’One Class One
Help’’ Scheme under one category of poverty and financial hardship, irrespective of any
caste, sub-cast or any other class or religion, must be granted to all poor and needy people
of India to up lift them from poverty and illiteracy to compete for their employment and higher
education on their ability, merit and capability rather than any kind of present reservation
scheme which is causing bad feeling, discrimination, splits, hate, jealousy, greed and
conflict between all casts, creeds and classes to achieve or loose special benefits awarded
under the reservation scheme. Present Reservation Scheme must be replace with uniformed
equality Scheme for the people of all casts, classes and religion on the ground of their
financial conditions only to get them educated to compete in the field of education and
employment in any sector. Such a scheme would only resolve the burning problem of
reservation which is causing grievous harm and damage to the unity and stability of Indian
nation.
India is sitting on the fuming volcano of Reservation and God knows when it is going to erupt
with full force to cause massive destruction. The right time has now come to take affirmative
and sensible action sooner than later, otherwise the agitation started by Hardik Patel and his
community members to demand for the reservation for their community would soon be
transformed into a full scale Anti-Reservation agitation all over India backed by all peoples of
upper classes like Brahmin, Baniyas and many others demanding abolition of Reservation
Scheme altogether. ‘’One Class One Help’’ meaning’’ No Reservation’’ is the only correct
and rightful solution to resolve the growing problem of Reservation Scheme. The
Reservation Quota Scheme must be abolished and a new uniformed ‘’One Class One
Help’’ scheme must be introduced immediately. ‘’One Class One Help’’ scheme must be
based and evaluated on single criteria applicable to all needy and poor people of all castes,
communities, religions and minorities according to the merit of a student without any form of
reservation. There should be a special provision of extra financial help in form of a special
scholarships or awards for able, capable, meritorious students from the family of a poor
financial background to enable them to further their higher studies. Such scheme without any
class, caste, creed, tribal and minority factors must be supported and implemented
immediately in one voice by all political parties of India in parliament leaving their vote bank
politics and agenda aside for the better and bright future of India.