May 25, 2006

By Gyan Pathak

It is, but natural that politicians are primarily interested in politics. All their actions, omissions or commissions, are guided by their wish to get political benefits. The worst part of this attitude has again surfaced during mishandling the tools of social justice by UPA government at the center.

Let us examine, how far our leadership has been interested in social justice and how far they are interested in their personal political gain.

Even before this issue, UPA government tried to queer the pitch for reservation in private sector of this country. It was done in the name of social justice.

Both these actions can be best understood in the background of the socio-political condition of our country coupled with the process of economic liberalizations, that had been ushered in by no other person than Dr Manmohan Singh as the Finance Minister in 1992, which has been enthusiastically followed by successive governments. Now Dr Singh is our Prime Minister, courtesy Sonia Gandhi.

UPA government came to power in May 2004, and it could comfortably lead the country for almost one and half year without much murmuring from the common man in the hope that this government will do something for them. However, this government failed miserably on account of giving employment to the people and containing the actual prices of commodities used by common man. On the other hand profits of the rich continued multiplying.

This is actually the best of times for the rich and the worst of times for the common people. Politically speaking, such a situation cannot assure the continuance of a government in power. That is why, the UPA government needed to do something.

Now, there is a simple calculation. The rich are already lobbying for the government for its policy of liberalization, since it is beneficial for them. The poor and the common are against it, because they are not getting benefits, and they are in miserable conditions. Here a simple logic came in operation. If they are able to give or assure benefits to some sections of common man, viz SCs, STs or OBCs, they can hope for getting their political support, which have been hijacked by Mayawatis, Mulayams, Laloos, and the like. Just before these issues surfaced, the members from the UPA tried to attract Muslim support by demanding reservation for them, who have lately deserted the Congress, especially after the demolition of the Babri Mosque in 1992.

That was hoping against hope. Congress is desperate for political support from these sections that are at present with other political parties. Having failed in the matters of quotas for Muslims or reservations in private sector, the UPA government resorted to raise the issue of 27 per cent reservations for OBC in specialized higher educational institutions like IIT, IIM, AIIMS etc.

How much our UPA government led by the Congress is interested in national building is clear from the fact that we have heavy shortage of doctors, engineers and other experts in our country. That is why there are long standing demands of increasing seats in such institutions. The Congress never cared for it till recently, before locking its horns in the politics of reservation. Only to disengage its locked horns, it announced increasing seats by over 50 per cent, which will cost Rs 7,800 crores non-recurring and Rs 2,200 crores. It will now bring legislation for reservation and set up an Oversight Committee to monitor and implement this decision.

Let us remind another fact that we have other legislations to ensure and implement the reservation policy for all groups like SCs, STs, OBCs etc which has never been properly monitored and implemented. That is why the new decision smacks only politics, nothing else.

The case in point is National Commission for Backward Classes. The Government of India had to enact legislation for this effect in 1993 because of the directions of the Supreme Court of India in the Mandal case judgment for setting up a National Commission for Backward Classes at the Centre as a permanent body. In the present Congress politics of reservation this body was totally ignored, at it has always been treated as non-entity. It defeats the very purpose of establishment of this body to implement social justice. The reason is that our politicians are more interested in politics than social justice. Otherwise, they would not have crippled this body. There is not even a Chairperson of this body for the last nine months. Another seat of a member is also vacant. Needless to say, that the reduced strength of this body to 60 percent is hampering the functions of this permanent body.

Why the governments try to cripple this Commission? The answer is there in the NCBC act itself whose section 9(2) categorically says, “ The advice of the Commission shall ordinarily be binding upon the Central Government.”

Secondly, Under Section 9(1) of the National Commission for Backward Classes Act, 1993 the Commission shall examine requests for inclusion of any class of citizens as a backward class in the Central List of Backward Classes and hear complaints of over-inclusion or under-inclusion of any backward class in the lists and tender such advice to the Central Government as it deems appropriate.

Thirdly, Under Section 11(1) of the Act, the Central Government may at any time, and shall, at the expiration of ten years from the coming into force of this Act and every succeeding period of ten years thereafter, undertake revision of the lists with a view to excluding from such lists those classes who have ceased to be backward classes or for including in such lists new backward classes.

Fourthly, Under Section 11(2) of the Act, the Central Government shall, while undertaking any revision referred to in sub-section (1) consult the Commission.

Had these provisions followed in letter and spirit, there would not have been any problem, but our governments did not care for it.

No detailed revisions have been conducted yet, resulting in many backward classes are de facto not getting the benefits of reservation. “Creamy layer” was explained in the beginning and it seemed prima facie fair.

This “Creamy layer” was excluded by an order. However, this decision was never put forward properly creating an impression among people, both in non-reservation classes and in the reservation classes who failed to get the benefit of reservations, that most of the benefits of the reservation policy is still going to the “Creamy layer.” This impression can not out-rightly be termed incorrect because many of us know it is true.

Over and above, we have tortured the very concept of “Creamy layer” in later days. For example, we have been giving reservations to the OBCs whose family income was not more than Rs 1 Lakh per annum. This meant, we were giving reservations to the families having income less than Rs 8333 per month. It was fair enough. However, we decided to give reservation even to the OBC families having income more than Rs 8333 per month up to Rs 20833 per month.

Here comes the politics that prevent the benefits to the OBC families who are in more disadvantaged position in comparison to the families having income between Rs 8333 per month to Rs 20833 per month.

Secondly, it defeats the very purpose and concept of reservation to the more disadvantaged classes.

Thirdly, it creates bad blood among all other classes who are living equally or more miserable conditions on account of extreme poverty. They are witnessing the fact that they have an income less than Rs 8333 per month, but benefits are being given to the persons having income 2.5 times more and who are in no way backward.

Therefore, the need of the hour is not to play politics but to help the disadvantaged one. (EOM)