Reservation or positive discrimination is thoughtfully awarded for those who are either victims of loopholes of system or historically neglected sections of societies. The ultimate intent of policy of reservation is to provide level playing field for every stakeholders to enjoy equal share. But, what would happen when such noble incentive becomes the cause of confrontation? Ongoing demands for reservation in India is an eye opener for everyone.
Demands for Reservation in India: Meaning and Need
Reservation is a deliberate positive intervention in favour of those who are either culturally, socially neglected sections of societies by the system over a period of time, or for those who are considerably lagging behind in the pace of progress.
It can be awarded in the form of incentives for education, priorities in job opportunities, or any monetary assistance for a specific period of time, and subject to review after a certain duration. In short, reservation is a weapon to realize just society where opportunities are equally accessible irrespective of class, religion, or caste.
Why competition for reservation
Initially, in India, the incentives of reservation was adopted to recorrect historical evils and build more just society to power national unity in the process of nation building.
It wasn’t everlasting move but for a certain period. Obviously, Indian policy makers might thought that once we generate adequate resources through the process of development, the notion of reservation will die down automatically.
Economic inequality and social deprivation
But, in reality, theirs notion remained unrealized due to huge mismatch between population explosion and pace of economic progress. In the recent decades, the degree of competition and quest for better education, as well as job has been becoming more and more intensive compare to earlier phase.
Understandably, as a common perception in the open categories, aspirants think that it is the reservation which is holding them back despite strenuous hard work compare to others peers. However, reality is otherwise.
Failure of successive governments
Clearly, ongoing tussle for reservation is nothing but the product of inability of successive governments to ensure adequate opportunities for swelling population within stipulated time.
At the same time, we cannot bypass people in fray for reservation, who always used to support their leaders or parties advocating communal, casteist, freebies agendas to remain in power.
Truly, it is unfortunate to notice that once the instrument for just and harmonious society is now heading to become the cause of confrontation and polarization.
Demands for reservation in Maharashtra state
In Maharashtra, in the last couple of years, so called dominant community has been vigorously pitching theirs demands for reservation with full of political and mob armour.
They claim that it is the reservation which is holding them back despite strenuous hard work compare to others peers. And, once the torch bearer of Kshatriya Verna, now vigorously demanding adequate reservation in a packed manner as if theirs existence is only possible on the bases of reservation; otherwise, they are going to face challenge of survival.
Sense of social deprivation
Actually, it is the best time for them to introspect and not clamour and complain. It is not acceptable that the decline of their economic status is only because of lack of reservation and not theirs historical blunders.
If this is true, then they have to answer the questions why the various backward communities are still living in ghettos and dire poverty despite the so called reservation?
In reality, they are possessed by the ghost of social deprivation and jealousy about their own decline and others relative upliftment.
In reality, Nowadays, we are witnessing that the reservation has lost its relevancy as it is progressing vertically, and proving a cause of conflict and confrontation instead justice and harmony. I suspect that the age of reservation in India is almost over and now policy makers desperately need other weapon to play with headless mob.
After all, political elite are always vulnerable due to theirs inabilities to solve problems. That’s why they need something to cover-up theirs failure.
Elasticity and inelasticity explained