MADURAI: Reservation is not an isolated issue and it should been seen
against the backdrop of the larger plan of imparting social justice,
said P S Krishnan, former member secretary of National Backward
Classes Commission and National SC/ST Commission. He was delivering
the inaugural address at a seminar on reservation organised by the
Doctors' Forum for the People here, on Sunday.
"Reservation is only one of the means to attain social justice. So the
question, 'what has Tamil Nadu achieved from its reservation policy?'
does not hold water," he asserted. Elaborating on the need to continue
with reservation policy, Krishnan said, though social inequality is
prevailing in many countries across the world, India's case attracts
special mention because of caste-based segregation pursued in the
nation.
The oppressed people, he said, are also there among the upper castes,
but their number is comparatively very small. Reeling out statistics,
he pointed out that the reservation is a much needed measure in the
state while taking the national average on several criteria including
agricultural labourers in rural area and casual labourers in urban
area.
He also insisted for reservation in private sector as many of the new
employment opportunities are emerging there and not in the public
sector as was the case earlier. He also suggested that the term
'creamy layer' is deceptive and the better alternative is 'socially
advanced persons/section'.
Speaking on the occasion, CMD of Tamilnadu Urban Finance and
Infrastructure Development Corporation, Christhudoss Gandhi, said that
though Tamil Nadu is the forerunner in the reservation issue, there
are around 300 schools in the state that have no single SC/ST student
in their roll.
"Chennai alone has 150 such schools and if this is the situation in
Tamil Nadu, what would be the situation in other states," he wondered.
CPI(M) Polit Bureau member Varadharajan asserted that reservation
issue should not be viewed on caste basis and urged the oppressed
classes including SC, ST and OBC to lead a combined fight.
The seminar dealt with several topics related to reservation including
'Women and Reservation', 'Dravidian Movement and Reservation', 'Law
and Reservation' and 'Cultural Aspects to Reservation'.
The seminar was attended by ex-MLC and former principal of Mannar
Thirumalai Naickar College B Parthasarathy, general secretary of
Periyar Dravida Kazhagam Viduthalai Rajendran and head of the
Sociology department at MKU L Dharabhai.
7 comments:
If may, I would like to ask why almost all the comments on your blog posts are about caste related subjects? I understand it exists and affects many lives daily. But, sometimes it helps to ignore and think outisde of box. Also, if I may, I suggest you changing your blog post titles to "Forward People". Not that any thing is wrong with title "Backward People", but it sounds very pessimistic and also to me it is all just a frame of mind. Who knows, I am just an outsider as a Sikh looking in to this caste thing. Personally, I consider myself a Tarkhan, a Lohar, a Mistry, an engineer,an electrician, a plumber, a husband, a father,a son, a Sikh of the Guru, a garbage picker, a coach and everything else I do in life. To some, they may be low and to some others they may be high, it is all in the your upbringing and frame of mind. If a person thinks of him or herself as backward, then nobody can bring them farward. Yes, I have family members, friends who put importance into castes and titles of people, name brands of things like cars, watches, and other material things, but what they don't understand that eventually, in Waheguru's court these don't mean a thing. I apologize if my comments offend anyone because that is not the intent here.
good comment mate and its right that waheguru does not care for castes, for the panjpyaras were from the lowliest of castes. Despite this the upper caste sodhis and jats, have brutalized the dalits, mahzbis and rangretas in Punjab.
Caste basically has been a potent tool to suppress the majority of the people of this country, its sad but its true.
I am not a castemonger but still downthere sometimes i feel that people have shortchanged the poor in the name of caste.
The best option is equality to every one, but is that possible. Rich wont let others get rich and happy. Indias bliss lies in daridranarayan and this brahminical ideology has destroyed this country.
lets get out of this caste thing but lets treat every one as equal also.
Wow, I am impressed with your knowledge of Sikhi. Well, I agree with you that some jats have brutalized it. I can't agree that its all of them. Some of them may be even Rajputs, others may be Khatris, or even Dalits themselves or whatever else labels taht have been created. I think they have forgotten the importance of Karma. Sikhi is just a ritual to some. Some committ murders and rapes, some drink alcohol, some do drugs, some cheat, lie and yet they still have beards and turbans. Turban and beard as a gift of the Guru means nothing to them. They might as well shave and remove their turbans if they are doing these bad things. To the dalits, mazbis etc. I say, if they don't speak their mind, nothing will change. Sikhi is just like any democratic system. Also, I can't recall the exact quote, but there is saying that goes something like this "if good won't speak up evil will take over".
you are right mate, i am short on time these days, but we will continue our chat soon.
Okay! But you have to change your blog title to Forward People. If you like B's then may be Bright People, Better People, Beautiful People or something! You get the idea. I am sure it will be a life changing experience not only for you but for everyone around you and others who read your blog. But you also have to beleive in the new title as well! Please!
lol, yu are a committed mate, i will think over it, sure
thank you and Keep up the good work sir!
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