A gradual revisit to the caste question

The moment one speaks of the caste problems, he is seen through the prism of suspicion; however progressive the ideas may be. The unreserved category is unhappy for the limitations they encounter because of the reservation policy. The reserved category demands for still better reservation as the present policy adds very little to their life. In fact this is not all wrong. Six decades after independence, the erstwhile reservation policy is yet to reap benefits to the targeted group. All it has achieved is caste consolidation; caste based politics. Any attempt to reform to the caste system is nullified by the caste consolidated political groups. There have been utopian proposals, of giving up reservation by the better off people. It’s too ideal to be real.

Here I would like to present another plan which can have a say in dealing with this problem.

For ages, caste based discrimination has been a rural Indian phenomenon. Baba saheb Ambedkar was one of the harsh critiques of village social order. According to him villages would never shed off their caste discrimination attitude/mindset. Six decades later, it still holds good. Two-third population of our country still live in rural India; they still face the evil of caste discrimination. But, the urban India has emerged to be cosmopolitan in nature, growing in tandem with the flow of civilization. It’s unlikely that a person who has lived his life in the metropolitan of Mumbai/ Delhi will face discrimination by virtue of his/her caste. Fact is that, they never face discrimination. Like any other citizen they avail and enjoy the edge of civilization, yet they avail reservation. 

It’s no harm to the state, when someone is getting benefitted. But… what if that privilege deprives someone else who desperately needs it. So my suggestion is that, we should confine reservation to the rural India alone. The urban India has been in the process of eliminating caste bias. So we should take account of this while policy formulation.

To start with, we can remove reservation for the people who have been living in the 4 metro cities of India. Gradually tier-1, tier-2, tier-3..etc cities should be eliminated and reservation should be confined to rural India. The SC, ST, OBC of big cities should be treated at par with general category people. This will reverse the evil effect of caste consolidation and gradually eliminate caste rigidity from the country.

I regret, if I have hurt anyone’s sentiment. I am not saying, this idea is perfect, but this can be battered with your more and more suggestion.

Thanks and Regards,

Gupteswar