Showing posts with label politics. Show all posts
Showing posts with label politics. Show all posts

Saturday, December 27, 2008

RESERVATION - Anti-Constitutional?

I was going through the study material of 'Indian Economy - Problems and Policies', a first year paper of Madras University's Distance education B.A Economics.
(It has spelling mistakes and grammatical errors in almost every page.)

I happened to come across this part, which discusses the impact of caste on Indian economy and its development.

Following are the points mentioned there. I have copied the statements as given in the material.

Section 1.5 - Page 9
The close and rigidities between caste and occupation prevent occupational mobility vital to economic transformation.

Another defect of the caste system is the existence of a class of untouchables who can never move up the social ladder. This has resulted in waste of human talents and potentialities.


(Probably they meant 'close relationship and rigidities')

Section 2.6.2 - Page 23
Rigid rise between caste and occupation restricts occupational mobility and supply of efforts


(rise? They must have meant relationship, I guess)

After discussing few other points on the similar lines, here comes the concluding paragraph.

Though our Indian constitution prevents discrimination by caste, the recent policy of reservation has lead to the strengthening of this institution. Even if its influence has reduced due to selection of individuals by competitive exams, it is still a very much living institution, according to Epstein.


First it states that reservation is anti-constitution. Then it says, it is reservation that strengthens the institution. Then it goes on to say that the competitive exams are to reduce the influence of caste/reservation.

Caste is still a living institution, yes I agree. But I'm not sure if Scarlett Epstein identified reservation to be the cause of this. It would be interesting to know what solution, whoever it is, Epstein or Dr.K.K.Muruganantham (Course writer from DRBCC Hindu College), would suggest, to nullify the impacts of the caste system on the economy, if reservation is anti-constitutional and if it strengthens the institution.

Sunday, July 09, 2006

On Ideas

Debate started
and
heated up fast.
There go
the swords
sharpened for days.
Debate on ideas,
we called it.

At the end of it all,
with us were,
swords sharper
with all the fight,
newer, stronger weapons
discovered and made
from the opponents' field,
and
the same old ideas!

Tuesday, June 20, 2006

Holy Slaughter

As the knowing expands
drop dead the holy-cows
that I worshipped
admired, liked and loved!

I have grown a few
I have grown into a few
Kill them all!

My veins run their milk,
but
it's time
to be ungrateful.

Though insecure
I might find peace,
in a holy-cowless land!

Sunday, June 18, 2006

Convicted Escapist




Earlier this year, a haircut I had and a shave I chose not to have left me with hair of 5mm length all over my head and face. (Well, except the considerable area on my head which had forgotten the art of hair growing!) One of my friends, on seeing this, commented that I looked like an 'escaped convict'. I replied him, "I may look so, but actually I am a 'convicted escapist'!".

Childhood dreams and desires, adolescent dreams, desires and ambitions give way to a nothingness, due to failures or awareness or laziness or all of these. One grows into an individual, truly alone. Everyone, including one's parents, siblings and friends, is other people. (One remembers Sartre's remark: 'Hell is other people') One carries no responsibility, except the ones that are strictly his alone.

We, four friends, were traveling in Tuticorin Express, from Nellai to Bangalore, when one of them expressed his concern about the image of India that would be formed in a foreigner's mind when he sees all the ugliness that prevails and atrocities that happen here. I replied, "Well, I don't identify myself with my state or country or language or anything. So, tell me if I'm doing anything wrong. I am not concerned about anything that others do"

One sees around all the good people doing the bad things, thinking what they think good is THE good! Whole media is heated up in discussion about a national issue. There are people for and against a certain thing. One finds the truth in both. Don't ask, why can't one find out the best solution! One might come up with a best solution, but why should it be considered the best by the rest? One recognizes and respects the right of others to differ from him. And, nothingness prevails.

During one lunch discussion, a friend says that we have to choose between the devil and the deep sea. Yes, we were discussing about Tamil Nadu politics. I reveal my decision of never voting again. He asks, "But in democracy, do we have a better option?" My answer is, "Democracy? That wasn't MY choice". "I don't need anyone to represent me in assembly or parliament or temple. I am not going to mistake other individual's ambitions to be in my interest. I don't need it"

One calls it 'individualism' at times, 'wisdom' some times. There are more: ignorance, foolishness, arrogance. And, one day, one starts suspecting that it is escaping from one's responsibilities, even after being aware. One starts accusing oneself of being an escapist. But this doesn't stay forever. One is thrown between the extremes, hit hard in each point that lie between! Some call this is masochism (not in a sexual context, of course)! How about machoism?

Forget the isms!
One is convicted by oneself for being aware of being an escapist (or whatever).