The latest case of the worrying developments is Haryana Jats agitation for caste-based reservations. The stir engulfed the entire state for over a week causing unprecedented violence, destruction of public and private properties, road and rail blockades and killing of 30 persons.

Haryana is not the lone state which has been besieged by the reservation demand. It is part of the nationwide pattern where dominant upper castes are increasingly demanding reservation benefits. Patels in the BJP-ruled Gujarat, Marathas in BJP-Shiv Sena alliance-ruled Maharashtra and Kapus in Telugu Desam Party’s Chandrababu Naidu-led government Andhra Pradesh have demanded similar reclassification. The Jat quota stir had also threatened to spread to Haryana’s adjoining Jat belts of Rajasthan and western UP.

Haryana’s alarming happenings have forced the Centre to arbitrarily promise reservations and set up a committee to find a solution to the demand for OBC status. The reservation ‘epidemic’ has also spread in some other states, mostly ruled by the BJP which, post-Haryana happenings, are also taking steps to appease the communities demanding caste-based reservations.

The beleaguered Khattar government has announced that it would enact legislation for Jats reservation during the state’s upcoming assembly session. Not to lag behind, Rajasthan government which was also confronted with the Jats protests for reservations has also promised that a bill on OBC covering Jats would be brought in the state assembly beginning February 29. The Gujarat Government sent its emissary, a prominent Patel leader and BJP MP Vitthal Radadia, to meet Hardik Patel to discuss issues that Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti led by him raised during its agitation last year. Radadia told Hardik who has been jailed on sedition charge that Gujarat Government could consider withdrawing cases against him if they could arrive at a compromise.

All Parties Sikh Coordination Committee of Jammu and Kashmir has also now demanded minority status for the Sikhs in the state. It has urged the government “to take a cue from the recent decisions taken with respect to the demands of the Jats in Haryana.”

Will the Centre’s setting up of a penal announced last week to fulfill the job reservation promise and the decisions announced by the Haryana and Rajasthan governments to enact legislations in their upcoming assembly sessions would stand the test of law? It is doubtful if one goes by the Supreme Court’s verdict which had quashed the UPA government’s decision to give reservation to Jats under OBC.

The controversy on reservations need to be seen in the background of the RSS supremo Mohan Bhagwat’s suggestion, first made during the Patel’s agitation in 2015, that a non-political committee should be formed to decide on eligibility for reservation. He said “Which section of the society should be brought forward and for how long they should be given reservation, a time-bound programme should be chalked out regarding it. The committee should be given powers for execution. Bhagwat said a person not getting opportunity only because of his birth in a particular caste should not happen.”

The BJP had then distanced itself from Bhagwat’s statement fearing it would adversely affect the party’s electoral prospects in the caste-dominated Bihar. As feared the party suffered humiliating defeat in Bihar elections. As it does not want to take any risk in the forthcoming 2016 assembly elections in Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and Puducherry, the party decided to set up a panel as suggested by Bhagwat to take a decision on the reservation issue.

Partisan interests mark the stand taken by most political parties on the issue of caste-based reservations. Solution of the raging controversy perhaps lies in extending reservation benefits only to economically weaker sections among the OBC and general categories irrespective of their castes. It is mainly the dominant castes which have so far been the main beneficiaries of the caste-based reservations.

Haryana’s weeklong Jat agitation not only culminated in the collapse of governance but also exposed chinks in the 16-month old Khattar cabinet. Its Jats and non Jat ministers publically expressed conflicting views on important issues. In cities and towns, the protesting Jats ransacked and burnt properties, particularly of Punjabis with the State’s Jat-dominated police remaining mute spectators. There were complaints of police not responding to the distress calls made by the victims of violence and arson. The panicked government had to hastily summon the Army to control the situation.

Political instability created by the Jat agitation and the governance deficit have raised questions about the future of the Khattar ministry. But the Modi government is not likely to take any hasty measure to replace Khattar, a former RSS pracharak. It could recommend President Rule in one of the non-BJP ruled states on grounds, one of which reportedly was the killing of a cow in front of State Raj Bhavan. But how could the prime minister hastily replace Khattar who was his personal pick for Haryana chief minister’s office?

Besides Haryana’s happenings, Modi’s critics argue that his government’s downhill governance is also reflected by his contradictory stands on foreign and local issues. For instance, Modi had eloquently spoken to his large foreign audiences during his frequent foreign visits in 2014 and 2015. But on important home issues like JNU, Rohith and Haryana Jats quota controversies he has maintained sphinx-like silence. He obviously believes in golden principle “Ek Chup, Sau Sukh”.

The foregoing controversies prove that no party has a monopoly on wisdom. But our rulers must remember that dissent is the highest form of patriotism and no democracy works without compromise. (IPA Service)