Reservations

This was a mail I had sent to my group in reply to a mail on the subject of reservations in private sector and I still hold these views.

Hi,

I have always believed that our constitution makers were great people with a very high degree of far-sightedness and insight. But the only issue where I felt they slipped (or should I say misjudged...) was in this reservations issue.

One fact have to recognize and accept with a pinch of salt is the inevitability and indestructability of having a caste system( I wonder how many of us, "progressive people" would dare to marry an "outsider"...for instance!!!). At the point of independence the caste system was much more stronger. We know the stories of untouchablity and cruelty people inflicted on the so-called "lower castes". (The sad part is that we still keep hearing such incidents after 55 years of "independence").

Now to break this kind of a jinx our constitution makers(CM) had no choice but to accord them special treatment. This is because at that point of time even if our CMs had opted for reservations based on economic status they would have run into two problems- 1. Putting in place a fool-proof system for judging economic status is in itself very difficult. 2. The so-called higher-castes held all the important posts in all the administrative bodies and they would have ensured that their position was not compromised by issuing false certificates or by any other fair/foul means. To avoid this our CMs envisaged this caste-based reservations.

So all along they have been doing the right things...where did they go wrong? The only mistake was in misjudging the role of a politician. They believed that a politician was a person with high moral standards who has sacrificed his life for the cause of public-service and they gave the powers of this reservation systems to the politicians. What actually they must have done is to give these powers in the hands of an independent commission formed in the model of the Election commission or the Judiciary. But now we find politicians coming to power and clinging to it by openly giving promises of reservations. Secondly, we find that people who enjoy the benefits of reservations form a chain. The father takes the benefits gets a good government job, settle down well, the son again uses the benefits gets an engineering seat settles down well..his son again....the story goes on while there are thousands of so-called low castes who still do not know that there are reservations available for them and they can make use of it. They are probably too busy waiting in queue outside the loan-shark's house for a paltry sum to save his crop without knowing that he is pledging his life on it. This is ridiculous..a family should be allowed to enjoy the benefits of reservations only once...say once for a college seat once for a government job and probably once for an MP/MLA seat!!!

Privilege once give can never be withdrawn. So the reservation system which was supposed to be phased out in 25-40 years has grown and taken deep roots in our society. Now we hear about reservations in private sector...well I can only say one thing-"Long Live Democracy...Longer Live the Bloody Politicians..."!!!
Yours,
Arvind Sharma.

GK wrote:

Hi everyone,
Having discussions to make the grps lively is a good
idea but mere participation of 2-3 people wud be an
argument rather than a discussion.

Rather than discuss about the earlier topic which is
sure to have no ending, why not dicuss on the
reservations which the UPA government headed by left,
sorry ManMohanSingh is planning to implement shortly
in private sector too.

This was the topic of last week's BigFight too in
NDTV.

Infy chief Mr.NarayanaMurthy, Bajaj grps, Godrej ,
Proctor & Gamble all have protested against it.

Reservations of anykind shud be opposed. Whats the
need of reservations? Does it mean that all those who
get preference are very poor and those who doesnt very
rich. If at all there need to be reservations, it shud
be based on economic status of people , which albeit
is difficult to implement can be done.Such a thing can
bridge the economic disparities in r nation.Morover
physically challenged people can get reservations.
Worst of all seculars like Mulayam and Karunanidi
spoke about reservations to minorities before the
Lokshaba polls.Such a thing will only spark communal
tensions. If reservations are totally banned there is
no need for either religion or caste in r
certificates.

Dr.Ambedkar while framing r constitution has given
provisions for reservations only for a time period but
r political parties has used them as their poll weapon
and want to continue for eternity.

My aim is not to offend any particular community.

Urs,
S.G

One Memorable incident-Redmond Continued..

This was a mail I wrote to my cousin when I was in Redmond about one unforgettable incident...
We went to Mt.Reinier (about 3 hours drive from here) on Sunday and it turned out to be an unforgettable day in many respects. We reached a point 5400 feet high in car and climbed for 2 hours to reach a point 7200 feet high!!! There was almost noone there and we had snow all around. We were so close to the peak. We played there for almost an hour. It was the best adventure I ever had.

Finally at 8.30 we decided we need to go back and started the descent. It took almost an hour and finally when we reached the car all exhausted and drained, I found that I had left the headlights on and the battery had completely drained!!! Then we found that the visitor's
office and all such places were closed as it was sunday night!! Finally there was a hotel there and we went into that and made a call to the Emergency services of the rental agency (Avis) and they arrived in about 2 hours and we waited patiently.

I should say Mt.Reinier is quite a sight in the night with the clear sky and countless stars in the background (though the temperature must have been around 10 degrees or lesser). Infact we took a few pictures of our incredible car with the night sky in the background!! The mechanic finally managed to jump-started the car. Finally we started at 11pm and bingo!! we didnt know the proper route back as the maps we had taken had some road named incorrectly.Also since I didnt want to risk a half-filled tank, we stopped at a petrol bunk and my friend went and filled the fuel. Then just before we left I noticed the name on the fuel station and it was written-DIESEL FUEL. I was totally dismayed.

We kept driving hoping that the diesel part would not enter the engine until we reached home. Finally in the darkness of the night (with occasional bursts of fog) we finally managed to get back through three freeways and reached home by 1.30am.

It was an unforgettable day in many respects and now, I am more confident of my driving than I have ever been in my life!!!

Yours,
Arvind Sharma.