Dear Editor,
The British Government in order to cement its rule in India decided to create a division among Indians especially among Hindus and started caste based reservation. In the year 1932 in the light of Pune Agreement caste-based reservation was accepted ignoring the opposition of Mahatma Gandhi. When Constitution was being framed Dr B. R Ambedkar Chairman of the Constituent Assembly while speaking in the Assembly on 25th November, 1949 said that the casteism is anti_nationalism because it brings about separation and antipathy between caste and caste. He was strongly against casteism in order to bring some cast in to main stream, the provision of reservation was made temporarily for ten years only. It is unfortunate that our political leadership ignored the fundamental principles of equity and justice and extended the provisions of reservation from time to time ignoring the judgment of Supreme Court of India playing vote bank politics. Reservation in promotion for ST, SC was implemented in the year 1955. Addressing Constituent Assembly Pt Jawahar Lal Nehru said that he and others were opposed to reservation, particularly on caste and religion basis. In June 1961 in a letter to Chief Ministers, Pt. Jawahar Lal Nehru the then Prime minister of India wrote,” It is true that we are tied up by certain rules and conventions about helping the S C , ST. They deserve help but even so I, “Pt. Nehru, dislike any kind of reservation. I react strongly against any thing which leads to inefficiency and second rated standard in jobs and admissions will end efficiency in govt system”. Ignoring the tallest leaders like Mahatma Gandhi, Dr. B .R Ambedkar and Pt. Jawahar Lal Nehru, our political class played vote bank politics and used caste based reservation as a vote catching device and extended it through parliament now which has become a decease for Indian democracy. It is a gross violation of UN charter. We must rethink keeping in view the ideas of great Indian leaders and social thinkers of past and present. It is a duty of every political leader to safeguard the interest of people who are needy and deserving irrespective of caste, religion and region. The Govt of India must take genuine legal steps to provide the people equal and basic amenities. It could be done by abolition of all privileges and concessions given to the people on the basis of caste, religion and region. Poor has no caste. Help the poor eradicate poverty from the country and make India number one nation in the world.
Madan Lal Narad
Secretary Aarakshan Virodhi Manch Jammu
