Moreover, they have been trying to rouse passions among people in the name of castes and religions. Relatively secure are fighting for their selfish ends for ‘reservation in promotion’ forgeting their obligations towards those who are yet to find means of livelihood. What should we do then? Should be allow this selfish fight of ‘Haves’ or should we continue our unfinished agenda to provide all possible help to the lowest of the low whose very existence is at stake?

These are obvious questions in the times of our vote bank politics when every political party, political personality, scholar or thinker search for a word or phrase that may not be politically incorrect putting merit and demerit of the case at stake. They seem to be at loss on one hand and resorting to political expediency on the other. Some of them are totally devoted to creating their own vote bank at any cost to the people as a nation. We have witnessed its fresh example this week in the parliament on the issue of introduction of ST/SC quota bill for promotion in government jobs, out of turn, which resulted in statewide lightning strike of government employees in Uttar Pradesh.

It is true that various schemes implemented for the lowest of the low, including the provision of reservation in jobs, has improved social mobility of many of the members of the Scheduled Tribes, Scheduled Castes, other backward classes, women, physically challenged etc , but it is also true that many are left behind and many communities are pushed into conditions in which they have lost reliable means of their livelihood. Kumhars have lost their traditional job of earthenware making, Kanus have lost their traditional job of roasting grains, Lohars have lost their traditional job of making iron tools, and so on, and these are all due to modern way of living and usage of modern technology. Nobody seem to bother as to how they are living without work. The benefit of reservation in jobs goes to only those communities or people who are relatively better than their brethren in the reservation category. Most of the lowest of the low are yet to get the benefit of reservation.

‘Quota within quota’ issue in relation to reservation to muslims has already weakened our fight for ‘have nots’. Muslims want their own community members to get benefit of reservation in the category of other backward classes, while many minority institutions do not bother to fill the vacancies reserved for SCs, STs and OBCs. A case in point is Aligarh Muslim University where most of the reserved seats for SCs and STs are vacant. This institutions is in Uttar Pradesh, the political battlefield of both Mulayam’s SP and Mayawati’s BSP. They failed to secure even the reserved seats to go to STs and STs in their own state. Dalits are not dalits now, but they have been divided into Hindu Dalits, Muslim Dalits, Christian Dalits and so on. Muslims are fighting for their own dalits, and Christians are fighting for their own dalits. But record of filling vacancies for reserved categories is far from satisfactory.

It is an open secret that Mayawati got this bill introduced by the Congress led UPA government in parliament under a bargain for passage of FDI in multi-brand retail in the House. She needes such type of bill, as per her assessment to reconsolidate dalit vote banks in her state, since she has recently lost power to her bete noire Mulayam Singh Yadav & sons. Mulayam has mainly OBC base and both the leaders share muslim votes depending on their constituencywise winnability. If reservation in promotions is given to STs and SCs in the state, it is Mulayam’s vote bank that would suffer, which in the view of the SP supremo could go against his party. In this way both the leaders roused passions amongs OBCs and Dalits against each other in their state (SC population in the state is very small). Reality is that both has failed to fill even the vacancies reserved for STs and SCs in the state. It should be noted that they are fighting not for ‘jobs’ but for ‘promotion in jobs’. It means the fight is for the creamy layer not for have nots.

Where this type of fight is going to lead the nation? Obviously, to ruin.

Let us take a principled stand. ‘Have nots’ whose very existence is at stake, and who are suffering in abject poverty and altogether in hostile social conditions should get the benefit of reservation first. All of us should fight for this cause unitedly. Division in the name of any particular caste or community or religion should be kept aside, at least for now and for this purpose. The fight for out of turn promotion for those who are already better off should wait, and they should also join this national agenda for giving sucurity of livelihood to the lowest of the low in priority basis.

It would not be a difficult task, since we have already made a framework of BPL (below poverty line). These people are somehow surviving, and let us help them out from there in a more secure environment where they can have at least two square meals daily. Should we not give them reservation in jobs in priority basis giving up the consideration of which caste should get more benefit of reservation and which could be turn into a formidable vote bank?

Our Prime Minister has been telling us for a long time that his government need to take tough stand. May a citizen ask him as to why he is not taking a bold step to give reservation to the people who are at lowest of the low level of existence? BPL is free from any caste, community, or religious bias. It is neutral standard. No community, except those who are better off, will lose the benefits of present reservation policy by implementing reservation for the BPL category. Animosity among castes, communities and religious groups could be mitigated through this approach. Let me remind here that SCs and STs are in very large numbers in BPL category. Many from OBCs also fall in this category. Muslim and Christian Dalits are also in this category. Therefore no caste should fear that they will lose in the reservation for the new category.

Let us make a bold decision in ourselves that whoever is rich or already have share in power should voluntirily give up their claim of reservation in favour of have nots. This is the first best option. If they are not ready to give benefit of reservation to their less fortunate brethren, they should be firmly dealt with appropriate legislation.

Helping in fight for survival of the people is more important than ‘promotion in jobs’. Ensure reservation for those who cannot survive on their own, and stop fighting for selfish ends.