Reservations and What Not…

“Begging is much more difficult than it looks. Contrary to popular belief, it’s a high art form that takes years of dedicated practice to master…”

-      Sol Luckman

Some people have recently been talking vociferously about reservations and what it means to the Muslim Community. To the extent that I recently received a mailer discussing an anticipated discussion by the Cabinet about including non-Hindus in the purview of scheduled castes and scheduled tribes, so that Muslims and other religious minorities could also avail the benefits of reservation. People and organizations have gone over to call this decision of the Cabinet as “a turning point in the history of Indian secularism” [as if we have already not reached this turning point – and would probably wait for a few more Babri Masjid and Godhra episodes to happen for the same]. Earlier, some scholars from the Ummah had called out to include the ENTIRE Muslim Indian population in the Other Backward Castes [OBC] category, so that the entire Ummah could reap the benefits of reservation. Before talking about reservation for Muslim Indians, let’s first try to divulge on the essence of reservation.

The term reservation calls out to reserve some positions for the underprivileged sections of the society. The logic behind this is to give the underprivileged section a chance to grow with the nation. There are two fronts to this assertion, realization and definition of the underprivileged section and the deposition of the reservation process itself. Let’s start with the realization of underprivileged section – the section of the society that has not been able to grow with the other sections because of CERTAIN reasons. What reasons?! Most predominant one is the caste-based society erected by the Brahministic doctrine; where you deserved something based on your caste. Quite ironically, reservations are being implemented the same way – you deserve a position based on your caste!!! Some history scholars say that the essence of reservations started off during the British rule, with the aim to bring the underprivileged section into the mainstream. The underprivileged sections were defined as people engaged in UNCLEAN professions – sweepers, barbers, cobblers, and the likes; unclean based on both the Brahministic and British doctrines. The British wanted to cleanse their own unclean linen by giving alms in the form of reservations to these under privileged people. This is exactly what the Brahministic doctrine, disguised in the form of today’s Indian democracy, is trying to do presently. The reservation tool has come in handy for numerous power jockeys in the past, and will continue to do so in the future, God willing. The political operands first strip these underprivileged sections off what they would otherwise rightly deserve, and then cajole them by offering reservations – imbibing a strong sense of benevolence and benefaction…

That was one side of the coin; now to focus on the deposition of the reservation process. You have reservations in educational institutions and you have reservations in government jobs as well. If you are amongst the LUCKY underprivileged section, you would get this dual reservation, without ever knowing how many deserving candidates you might have dispelled in the process. Numerous examples of reserved positions being vacant throughout the year [at times numerous years] due to less number of applicants is another alibi to this. Then eventually, this is one example where all is not well that ends well – the underprivileged section still remains underprivileged and downtrodden in spite of having dual reservation benefits [Almost 90% of the Scheduled Castes still live in rural areas and economic exploitation remains their most acute problem. – source: http://www.faqs.org/minorities/South-Asia/Scheduled-Castes-of-India.html - May also refer to Sachar Committee report for more information]. Therefore, the benefits that these reservations talk about are a clear hoax, a sham in disguise for the power jockeys to garner votes. By advocating reservations for Muslim Indians, are we endorsing that the Ummah falls prey to this hoax and sham in disguise – maybe since it has been kept away from it for some time??!!

While reservation may be observed as a quick means to provide respite to the underprivileged, they often only provide a quick respite to the power jockeys. Evidently, it is difficult to believe that the Government is either unaware or incapable of implementing better alternatives for the underprivileged. The basis of competition and deserving a position either in an educational institution or a government establishment should be merit. Why are the government and its agencies recklessly determined to proclaim reservation as the only solution to the ailments of the society [And why is the Ummah hell-bent on believing it to be the same??!!]?? Why is the government shying away from empowering the underprivileged section to induce merit in them? Why is the government instead inducing and empowering all these underprivileged sections to master the art of begging for what they might rightfully deserve now or in future??!! The answer must be decoded by one and all themselves…

Henceforth, as in a democracy, let us choose either to empower ourselves, or to be lured by the reckless and domineering malice of reservation; and master the art of begging. I have chosen to empower ourselves!!

[The author is a member of a supposedly accredited OBC class, but has chosen not to use the same at any point of time in his life.]