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Reservation Debate and Media's Response
Abhishek
The debate has sharply polarised the haves and have-nots. Predicatably, professional heart bleeders have jumped to the cause of the "pro quota agitationists". The Media has exposed its biases by aligning with those in power.
All of them majorly agree that reservation is not the way out. The data on the exact percentage of the Other Backward Castes (OBC's) on the basis of which this action has been taken is not reliably known. The Government's own National Sample Survey Organisation (NSSO) has disputed the exact numbers and hence the 27% reservation has no merit.
Agreed to a point that NSSO's survey may be flawed by not being able to identify the sub castes and the methodology. However, in the absence of any other statistics, we have to rely on something that is already there. The latest figures wouldn't be available till December end and we have to rely on the outdated 1999-2000 figures. Give or take a few percentage points, the OBC population cannot be expected to have "exploded" to cause any demographic shift and hence the 27% reservation.
Socialism is a fanatical concept. It is appealing but destorys the very vitals of the society because it is not practised in its pure form. So far, it has given rise to a priveleged minorty that rules over us. This has given rise to the term, "vote bank politics". The present "notional" democracy has made a mess of the affirmative action of the vast silent majority whose tax money is being squandered away for the benefit of few, while leaving with no scope for accountability. The powers that be keep this status quo because this is the only way we can be "ruled".
The schism runs deeper. In politics, it isn't popularity that counts. It is the ability to manipulate the system for your own perverted benefits. This is this ability along with muscle and money power that gets a selected few to "enjoy" the power structure. This is the established norm in India because we as middle class, have not gone out to vote. Neither stood up to the goons to demand accountabilty. Someone like a Gawli or Shahbuddin can enter the same portals which makes laws to keep them in check; it speaks volumes about the ability to twist the system.
Keeping on the same theme of manipulation, the media also seeks to be a mouth piece of the same power structure. It is designed in a contorted way to supress the facts while highlighting the lies and repeating them ad nauseum to make it appear as "truth".
Herein, the biases creep in. The same that I talked of earlier on in this post. The biases are intentional (mostly) because this is one way to cosy up to the power structure. The list includes the who's who of the "respected weeklies", whose sales are fuelled by "exposing the dark secrets of celebrities" and whose "debates" would insult the intelligence of my labrador.
It is indeed alarming that chimps like these are allowed to run riot all over. They would just have to peep out of their power structure to face the reality.
It isn't that reservation is not needed. Let them structure it the way that the benefits accrue to the last person in the lap race. However, the flawed policies have resulted in the divisions that threaten the social fabric of the entire nation.
Those who write in about the "disadvantaged" scarcely realise that reservation is seriously hurting the cause of the majority. On what grounds does the "OBC" need to be admitted with lesser percentage than a "general category" student who has put in harder labour? This isn't the story about doctors per se. Look at the huge Government structure. On what grounds should the SC/ST candidates be allowed preferential treatment for promotions? Or the reservation extended to their wards?
On what grounds should reservation be extended to the thrid generation of "freedom fighters" or higher post graduation seats to "sportspersons"? Given the frigging dismal record of India's sporting "glory", is it justified to extend reservation to them at all?
On what grounds should the war widow's wards be given preferential reservation in IIT's/ IIM's?
Merit is a specious argument. It is a relative term which cannot be quantified in real terms. In the past so many years, the IIT's/ IIM's do not figure anywhere on the top world rankings. There has been a steady decline in the number of citations in the scientific journals. So much so, that one Open Access Medical Journal (Public Library of Science) doesn't even have an editor/ peer reviewer from India! The WHOLE of India.
Reservations would only shrink the existing pie and make matters worse for the ones who have to slog without any crutches.
The media doesn't have to go through all this and they speak from position of comfort. They can pull strings anyway, they have their own sphere of influence. Therefore it is easier to preach from an exalted status for whatever axes they have to grind.
Some idiots in the power structure have a much louder say. Blogs unfortunately would remain limited in appeal/reach. It might change in the future but this is the only way to counter the established interests.
Reservation Debate and Media's Response
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Shantanu Dutta
May 31, 2006
02:13 AM
In most of the media coverage, email campaigns, personal communication etc., we find that people take a very strong position - pro or anti. The arguments about high or low intelligence, privileged or not so privileged follow. Rarely do we find anyone substantiating their stands with adequate information base. Several questions are raised: Do we want incapable Drs. or engineers? Do we not need to be compensated for the deprivation for the past? Don't we have the right to equality?Then there is the question that the people in the media are also people, like you and me. Just because they represent the media which is supposed to be a fair mouthpiece of the views of the people, doesn't mean they really are. Who do you think are the people who control what kind of news gets reported? Are they upper caste people or do they belong to the lower castes? The answer should be quite obvious.
Desigirl
URL
May 31, 2006
05:56 AM
Hello,
One of my cousins sent this to me yesterday and it seems like a good place to share it with everyone.
********************************************
Wipro chairman Mr. Azim Premji's comment on reservation
I think we should have job reservations in all the fields. I completely support the PM and all the politicians for promoting this. Let's start
the reservation with our cricket team. We should have 10 percent reservation for Muslims. 30 percent for OBC, SC/ST like that.
Cricket rules should be modified accordingly.
The boundary circle should be reduced for an SC/ST player. The four hit by an OBC player should be considered as a six and a six hit by an OBC player should be counted as 8 runs. An OBC player scoring 60 runs should be declared as a century.
We should influence ICC and make rules so that the pace bowlers like Shoaib Akhtar should not bowl fast balls to our OBC player. Bowlers should bowl maximum speed of 80 kilometer per hour to an OBC player. Any delivery above this speed should be made illegal.
Also we should have reservation in Olympics. In the 100 meters race, an OBC player should be given a gold medal if he runs 80 meters.
There can be reservation in Government jobs also. Let's recruit SC/ST and OBC pilots for aircrafts which are carrying the ministers and politicians
(that can really help the country...)
Ensure that only SC/ST and OBC doctors do the operations for the ministers and other politicians. (Another way of saving the country...)
Let's be creative and think of ways and means to guide INDIA forward...
Lets show the world that INDIA is a GREAT country.
Let's be proud of being an INDIAN...
May the good breed of politicians like ARJUN SINGH long live...
Abhishek
URL
May 31, 2006
07:27 AM
1)Shantanu, why not take a "strong position" here? The Government is taking away my rights in the garb of "social equality" when it knows that reservations haven't helped anyone so far.
2)I didn't repeat anything that has been reported ad nauseam. It makes no sense. There are far more better write ups than this on the same issue.
3)The media has it's biases. Overwhelmingly leftist. This was the thrust of the post here. Upper caste or lower caste doesnt make a difference. Look at what Praful Bidwai, Vinod Mehta et al have to write about it and you'd know. Only Zee News is giving a detailed coverage to the reservation issue.
Neetha
URL
May 31, 2006
01:15 PM
Kerala and TamilNadu are examples where reservation has been successfully implemented. The substantial effects of reservation in health care can be understood by comparing health care indices between North and South India. The website below has an article which shows the comparison of figures between North and South. Infact Kerala has one of the best health care systems on par with developed countries.
http://socialjustice.ekduniya.net/Merits%20of%20Reservation.doc/file_view?portal_status_message=File%20changes%20saved
balaji
June 5, 2006
03:46 PM
It is getting curioser and curioser.
Mr. Premji. A person who acquired his business from his father. No issues.
The chamar also gets his profession from his father. So does the weaver. So does the potter. So does the bhangi or safaikarmachar as PC would demand.
They have no right to be pilots, doctors, engineers, software professionals or for that matter anything that they are not and others are.
I feel it is nauseaous. Or I must be utterly wrong.
I am sure Mr. Premji, if he is a smart business man and wants to keep the low cost advantage of being the service provider to the world, should worry about the low castes as much. If they do not get educated, and do not have access, his next round of recruitment might suffer. If not today, some day.
As much as Abhishek talked about the ad nauseum stuff, it has been talked about ad nauseum about the meaninglessness of entrance tests.
What do they measure? Ability to mug up? Ability to have access to the 'corporate' slave driving institutions which get their inspiration from broiler farms?
What do the engineering college tests measure? Rote learning and speed? And some vocabulary - that too English?
The OBCs, the STs and the SCs are born incapable. There is no merit in them. They are condemned. They have been so far. Some of the wily ones from them got benefitted for the last 50+ years. No progress in their lives. Even when they pass the same exams that every one passes. Entry or Exit where does the system measure Merit? God knows. If there is one.
They could not overcome their backwardness of thousands of years of deprivation in 50 years. Does it not prove that they are not competent? Does it not prove that they have no merit? Mother nature went to sleep after she distributed merit and intelligence to those who merited it. Rest, serve the first. As potters, weavers, safaifolks, maid servants, drivers, peons etc.
Very fair.
Let the government provide good education to all the people. Good education. And Mr. Premji would distribute some CDs with English accent to government schools which may have been beneficiaries of Pentium Is if some computer company thought they cannot junk them and get some good social visibility by donating them.
Does not matter if they do not have a decent building. Does not matter even if they do not have a bulb or electric connection.
Brilliant. There is no need to do any thing in the short term.
Short term, Medium term and Long term are concepts only necessary for business folks. Rest of them have to wait till Manna from Heaven falls.
Probably after 100 years? probably 1000 years? May be 2000 years? Well the problem has a genesis for more than 3000 years. probably round Gupta's time when the caste system got entrenched as some leftist idiotic historians would like one to believe. May be they are just that. Idiots. It never was.
You can't solve it in 50 years! Every one was patient for 50+ years. We have seen that. Only the fat from the so called deprived have benefited from it. Since the other really poor blokes cannot benefit from it, the system does not work. So let us junk it. And who decides? A handful Medicos who already made it and want more.
No issues. Such is the rationale of the world.
Nobody need show sympathy for the poor blokes. It is indignifying. They will figure out. If they did not worry about why their lives as they are as they are for so many thousands of years, should they now? Unfair. How can incompetent and non-meritorious people expect to merit some thought?
I also wonder at the myth that Media is leftist. That depends from where you see it. Like Hebrew is read from right to left or like English which is read from left. It is confusing. But interestingly you hardly see any sound bytes except for the dumba$$ Singh. Who any way does not know which is which. When is when, and what is what. So goes the baby and the proverbial bath water.
And other voices? There is none which merit the fleeting attention of the handmaiden of money, MEDIA!
Prakritimyaanti Bhootani, Nigrah kim karishya.... so does the Gita say. Each would behave according to their nature, why foolish thoughts to control or influence?
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