It was summer of 2006, I was going for a stroll after dinner. Just at the entrance of hostel gate I encountered one of my classmates who was furious about a joke on Arjun Singh. Yes, It was the time when HRD Minister opened his caste electoral card in forms of Quota in educational institute where entrance exams are in practice for admission.
Though it has nothing new, and already in practice, this time it was a causing concern as it would compromise over entry in top engineering and medical colleges. Initially this discrimination was for ten years, now it is extended up to endless time. The politicians find a way to keep the fire of caste burning in disguise of social justice. They know, this is not the way to being about social justice. The fact is too far from what we perceive reservations as cure of social injustice. The fellows, who got the cream of reservation, are still getting it, while much needed poor from same social group is still struggling with livelihood. These things are quite obvious to any conscious person in our society… but still they prefer to be called as backward as being backward can harness admissions and jobs in less effort or something without effort.
This is the reason why my friend was furious. He came almost bully at me: how dare you to say that!! I was really not ready to for this sudden attack, I simply asked what happened? He started lamenting about the thousands years…, backwardness… and so on… Now I got it right. I was socked. This guy is from rich family and live a life which I can imagine for me even in my dreams. And he was saying that he is backward and I am forward to him. The scream was too loud to be considered as a violent verbal attack. I dint say anything to this guy. In reply I just asked him- friend, why should you be given the reservation in admissions, hostels and in jobs and same time I have to pay more for fees and application forms? You know it better that you are from a rich background while I am lone bread earner of my family while I am studying?? This guy had not answer but to counter, he started lamenting about something like thousands years of suppression and so on. He was my classmate and we all know about the backgrounds of each other. I don’t remember even my grand father had that much of land which is currently this guy has at home. But a loud lie can’t outshine the truth. And the people who gather around us were agreed with my question.
The consequence of that debate was two months no talking terms between us. This was very interesting episode of my realization of the desperation of the people and their greed to get the education and job at the cost of poor. The same community has almost all police men, most of politicians in my state. Eventually they are the most dominant social group and very hostile to any other caste including those who are so called general class.
They don’t need any quota as they own most of resources, neither they demanded this recent quota. But they greedy politicians thinks that since they are more in number, they would vote for them. In fact, it is true too. Caste politics has become the synonyms of Indian politics.
Though it has nothing new, and already in practice, this time it was a causing concern as it would compromise over entry in top engineering and medical colleges. Initially this discrimination was for ten years, now it is extended up to endless time. The politicians find a way to keep the fire of caste burning in disguise of social justice. They know, this is not the way to being about social justice. The fact is too far from what we perceive reservations as cure of social injustice. The fellows, who got the cream of reservation, are still getting it, while much needed poor from same social group is still struggling with livelihood. These things are quite obvious to any conscious person in our society… but still they prefer to be called as backward as being backward can harness admissions and jobs in less effort or something without effort.
This is the reason why my friend was furious. He came almost bully at me: how dare you to say that!! I was really not ready to for this sudden attack, I simply asked what happened? He started lamenting about the thousands years…, backwardness… and so on… Now I got it right. I was socked. This guy is from rich family and live a life which I can imagine for me even in my dreams. And he was saying that he is backward and I am forward to him. The scream was too loud to be considered as a violent verbal attack. I dint say anything to this guy. In reply I just asked him- friend, why should you be given the reservation in admissions, hostels and in jobs and same time I have to pay more for fees and application forms? You know it better that you are from a rich background while I am lone bread earner of my family while I am studying?? This guy had not answer but to counter, he started lamenting about something like thousands years of suppression and so on. He was my classmate and we all know about the backgrounds of each other. I don’t remember even my grand father had that much of land which is currently this guy has at home. But a loud lie can’t outshine the truth. And the people who gather around us were agreed with my question.
The consequence of that debate was two months no talking terms between us. This was very interesting episode of my realization of the desperation of the people and their greed to get the education and job at the cost of poor. The same community has almost all police men, most of politicians in my state. Eventually they are the most dominant social group and very hostile to any other caste including those who are so called general class.
They don’t need any quota as they own most of resources, neither they demanded this recent quota. But they greedy politicians thinks that since they are more in number, they would vote for them. In fact, it is true too. Caste politics has become the synonyms of Indian politics.
Comments
Many of my friends are very rich, with father in govt service. They take scholarships from state govt, take admissions easily while being on the bottom of the merit list, they get easy job in govt sector... all because they are from "backward class" or so called "dalit"...
These are the priviledged castes.... And they complain that people discriminate against them... They want it both ways... to keep their castes and take benefit of it, and still ridicule the concept of castes...
If only we had a government which was just and sensible...