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Death toll rises to 53 as Delhi burns
The riots in the north eastern parts of Delhi has claimed 53 lives . The communal clashes erupted in the wake of an altercation between those protesting against the controversial Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and those in favor of it. Buildings were burned , shops were looted , vehicles torched.
It all started when a local leader gave police the ultimatum to clear the road blocked by those protesting against the CAA. Clashes erupted the very next day and went on to become one of the deadliest riots the city has witnessed. It all happened in the national capital where the police reports directly to the Home minister. If the capital is not safe, then people in other parts of the country have more reasons to worry.
According to Hindustan times, developments in Delhi will have an impact on state elections in Bihar , West Bengal, scheduled to take place in the next one and a half year. Bihar has already passed a resolution asking the central government to conduct NPR in its old format. Many believe that CAA was brought to influence state elections in West Bengal which has 25% Muslim population.
A report in Indian Express says that police was complicit in the riots. There is no one to hold police accountable for its actions. The media, instead of pressurizing the government to act, was busy covering the Namaste Trump event which coincided with the riots. Strict actions must be taken against those involved in riots and rehabilitation of victims should begun at the earliest.
Each for Equal
The theme for this year’s International Women’s Day is #EachforEqual. It calls for equality between men and women and obliterating the prejudice against Women of them being considered ” the weaker sex”. Women are as human as men and should be treated as such.
India is one of the most unsafe places for women in the world. Rape , Domestic violence, Acid attacks, Dowry deaths , public sexual harassment, are some of the crimes against women in India. 32,500 cases of rape were reported in India in 2017, about 90 a day, according to a government data. The problem is in the mindset of people . Men thinks that a woman does not have the agency of saying ” NO” and if she does that , she should be punished. If a person has a fight with another person , he abuses him by saying that he will rape his sister or mother. These gender specific cuss words celebrates toxic masculinity and relegates the status of women to second class human beings. Many people in India still think that Feminism is a joke and not to be taken seriously.
Let’s take the case of domestic violence. Many people are of the view that it is ” normal ” for a man to beat his wife. The husband takes care of his wife , provides her with all the facilities required to lead a good life , so it is fine it he beats her sometimes. So why does this school of thought exists? Historically and to some extent now also, girl education has not been considered important in Indian society. So they used to be married off to become housewives A housewife who is not educated , not earning, sustaining on the salary of his husband , becomes an easy target of domestic violence.
The independence of women has also been hampered by religious ideologies. Manusmiriti , Hindu legal textbook, says that a woman is not good enough to be independent. She should invariably be under the control of a male guardian . Similar things can be found in the holy book of Muslims, Quran. Religion has imposed all sorts of restrictions on the independence of women.
But things in India are changing now . Women’s enrollment in higher education , which was less than 10% of the total enrollment on the eve of independence ,has risen to 48.6 % in 2018-19. More number of women are part of NITs and IITs then ever before. People have started talking about Menstrual hygiene openly . Strict penal provisions are in place for crime against women. In Bollywood , movies like Thappad , Mardaani and other women centric films are being produced. Women are not asking for any favour , they just want to be treated at par with men . There is a need to make this world an equal one because an equal world is an enabled world.
Protest for affordable education
Jawahar Lal Nehru University ( JNU ) students’s protest against hostel fee hike is refusing to die down . The issue has caught national attention and has triggered nationwide debate . The images of injured students , after being lathicharged , surfaced online and has gone viral since then.
What is the matter
The students are protesting against hostel fee hike and other changes made in the draft hostel manual. The new rules warrant students to come back to hostel before 11 in the night. Students are required to dress appropriately when coming to mess for lunch or dinner. Rent for a single seater room has been increased from Rs 20 to Rs 600 per month and for a double seater room , from Rs 10 to Rs 300 per month. The one time ( refundable ) mess security deposit has been increased from Rs 5,500 to Rs 12,000. The JNU administration has however justified the act saying that there hasn’t been a revision in fees in the last 19 years. The library which earlier remained open all the time will now be closed by 11 in the night.
The students are protesting against these changes saying that the fee hike will affect the students who come from the economically weaker sections of the society. The family income of 40% of JNU students is less than Rs 12,000 per month. The students are saying that higher education should be affordable for all.
- The family income of 40% of JNU students is less than Rs 12,000 per month.
- The administration has justified the hike saying that there hasn’t been a revision in fees in the last 19 years.
- The fee hike will make JNU the most expensive central university in India.
Steps taken to pacify students
The administration announced a partial rollback of fee hike and also made certain changes in the draft hostel manual . All students belonging to BPL ( below poverty line) category, except JRF ( junior research fellow ) & SRF ( senior research fellow ) are required to pay 50% of the revised fees. The provisions of increased one time mess security deposit and dress code , have been taken back.
Comparison with other central universities
Apart from Delhi University which charges around Rs 40,000-Rs 50,000 annually , other central universities charge amount comparable to that of JNU. For instance , Allahabad University students pay Rs 28,500 ( on an average ) and Banaras Hindu University students pay Rs 27,400 , annually for both food and accommodation. At Delhi’s Jamia Milia Islamia, the annual fees is Rs 35,000. The fee hike will nearly double the annual fees for JNU students living in the hostels from Rs 27, 600 – Rs 32,000 to Rs 55,000- Rs 61,000. The hostel fee hike will make JNU the most expensive central university in India .
PULWAMA ATTACK AND THE RESPONSE
Indian defence forces have made us proud on many different occasions in the past . The people of India now have yet another reason to salute thee security forces . The Indian Air Force ha e carried out air strikes on the biggest training camp of Jaish-e – Mohammad in Balakot ,deep inside the Pakistani territory . The strikes were conducted in response to the ghastly terror attack on a CRPF convoy which claimed the lives of 40 soldiers.
According to the reports , the brave pilots of the Indian Air Force went inside the Pakistani territory and dropped of around 1000kg on the training camp of Jaish-e Mohammad, the terror outfit which took responsibility of the gruesome attack . This development is of humoungous significance because it is the first time since 1971 that the Indian forces entered the territory of Pakistan. After the strikes were conducted , the foreign secretary of India , Vijay Gokhle , called a communique and apprised the media about the strikes . He termed the action “non military” and ” pre- emptive ” in nature.
Pakistani Air Force , in a move of retaliation crossed borders and entered Indian air space only to be confronted by a robust Indian defense. In the dogfight which followed ,the Indian forces struck down a Pakistani F-16 plane while Pakistan managed to down a Mig -21 . The pilot of the downed Mig-21 , Abhinandan Vardhman ,was taken into custody by Pakistan only to be later released under the rules of Geneva conventions . The return of the Indian pilot paved the way for the de- escalation of the tensions . Both the sides are nuclear capable and cannot afford to even contemplate war ,leave alone fighting it.
The international community has buttressed the actions taken by India and has asked Pakistan to stop harbouring terror cohorts. France, UK ,USA moved a resolution in the UNSC to designate Masood Azhar , chief of Jaish-e Mohammad, a global terrorist.
India before launching the air strikes took diplomatic measures to hurt Pakistan. It took back the ” Most Favoured Nation ” status , imposed 200% tariff on Pakistani imports . All these measures are innocuous and will not concern Pakistan in any way given the trifle amount of trade the two nations have.
The attack has once again triggered a heated debate on Article 370 , a provision which bestows special status on the state of Jammu and Kashmir , with different organizations and groups clamouring to review the contentious provision . Article 370 was a temporary provision that should have automatically lapsed after the formation of the constituent assembly in the state . The provision enables J&K to have a separate constitution, flag , laws made by the parliament can be implemented only after the approval of the legislature of the state . Experts and analyst maintains that the provision has stymied the whole hearted integration of J&K with India . I agree with this view and believe that revoking article 370 should be the first step towards ” integrating ” Kashmir and Kashmiris with India.
The Government of India needs to understand the fact that Kashmir is a political issue and warrants a political solution. Stationing huge contingents of forces and a heavy handed approach would do little to solve the complex issue of Kashmir. The reports of kashmiri students and traders being assaulted in the wake of the Pulwama attack are disheartening and appalling. India ,as a mature and vibrant democracy must maintain the rule of law and should not allow mobocracy to take the centerstage . Elections should be held in the state to bring back normalcy and to augment the political machinary . Kashmiris should be taken into confidence and should be treated with dignity .
India by conducting air strikes deep inside the Pakistani territory has set a new normal and has paid a rich tribute to deceased soldiers . Full support should be extended to the families of the slain soldiers . Those clamouring for war should understand the fact that war will result in mutually assured destruction. It is high time for Pakistan to act and take demonstrative actions terror outfits. For now , the Indian forces have given a fitting reply to the provocation and the government also deserves credit for showing the will to retaliate .
UNEMPLOYMENT CRISIS
There are plethora of reports which states that India is growing at an excellent rate . It is the fastest growing economy in the world and is also the sixth largest globally. These reports and assertions are challenged by surveys and data which observes that India is facing a mammoth unemployment crisis.
The National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) labour force data has created a storm across the country . According to the leaked data , unemployment is at a 45 year high . Unemployment in the year 2017-18 reached an unprecedented 6.1% . The report observes that 18.7% urban male workers are unemployed while for women , the number stands at 27.2% . The government was allegedly trying to bury this data , a charge it has denied . It said that this is not a final report but a draft . The thing which is worth noticing here is that the government fell short of rubbishing it . The governmen has maintained that jobs are being created at a healthy rate . It has cited Employment Provident Fund Organisation( EPFO ) data to claim that 7-10 million new jobs were created in 2017-18 . The government maintains that if there is unemployment then how can the economy grow at a rate of more than 7%. Many economists are of the opinion that high GDP growth doesn’t necessarily means employment generation . Growth occurs by two means – private investment or efficient utilization of the existing resources. It is the growth in private investment that leads to employment generation but investment in India has dried up in the last few years . This has led to ” jobless growth ” .
According to CMIE ( centre for monitoring India economy ) , a private firm widely respected for the veracity of its surveys , has concluded that 11 million jobs were lost in 2017- 18 alone . It’s managing director and CEO , Mahesh Vyas , has said that India is facing an appalling unemployment crisis .
The government is censured for it’s draconian economic monouvoures like demonetisation, GST. According to All India Manufacturing Organisation, 3.5 million jobs have been lost in the manufacturing sector since 2016. India is witnessing an upsurge in literacy rate . In the last 10 years , the number of people completing their tertiary education ( graduation, masters , p.hd ) has grown from 11% to 26% . Same is the case with secondary education ( class 9,10 ) with the number of students completing it increasing from 58% to 90%. Higher education and qualifications leads to high aspirations . Youth who are well educated prefer to remain unemployed then to work for low quality jobs . So , it is not only about jobs but also about the quality of jobs . On the other hand , people who are less educated or who are not in a position of remaining unemployed are desperately searching for jobs . It is an unfortunate situation where 2.8 crore candidates are vying for ninety thousand posts in railways .
India is failing to capitalise on the Demographic Dividend ( a situation where the people of working age ( 15-64) outnumbers those who are dependents i.e. below 14 years and above 65 years of age ) . So , there is work force which is desperately waiting for employment.
The incumbent regime of NDA led by Narendra Modi boasts of it’s welfare schemes like Swacch Bharat Yojana, Saubhagya Yojana but has failed on it’s promise of job creation . The first thing that the government should do is to admit that there is indeed a job crisis . Inviting investment and creating a conducive environment for the same can be the first step towards job creation.
PERNICIOUS MINING
Rat- hole mining ,despite being banned by the National Green Tribunal ( NGT ) in 2014, is rampant in the state of Meghalaya. The news of 15 miners being trapped made headlines and caught the attention of the nation . The rescue operation squad has recovered the dead bodies of two workers with the search for other bodies still underway.
What is Rat-hole mining? Why is it so dangerous and why is the government not cracking down on this pernicious practice? Rat-hole mining is of two types – box cutting and side cutting. Box cutting is used to extract coal from plain areas. A rectangular opening of 2-3 feet is created and using ladders miners go inside in search of coal seam. Coal seam is generally found 200-300 feet beneath the ground and on finding it , they dig horizontally in search of coal . The miners do this dangerous job without any safety measures thus rendering them vulnerable to mishaps . Side cutting on the other hand is a method usually used when coal is being extracted from a hilly terrain . The unfortunate incident which took place recently was a case of box cutting in East jaintia hills ,the fulcrum of Rat- hole mining in the state . Children are often employed in this business because the openings created to extract coal are very narrow .
Lack of alternative livelihood fores the people into this dark and dangerous world of mining . Around 2-3 percent of the people of the state are involved in this practice while around 5-6 percent are engaged in transportation. Before the NGT ban ,mining contributed 7-8 percent of the GDP and 27 percent of the revenue . Workers are also tempted to take this job because of relatively high renumeration offered in this business.
Mine owners have been advocating the practice of Rat–hole mining because it provides livelihood to people , is cheap , is lucrative, is an important source of revenue for the government and has been a part of Meghalaya for over a century. Their lawyers are of the opinion that Meghalaya should be exempted from Central laws as it comes in the sixth schedule of the consitution . The groups who are against this practice have countered by maintaining that it has led to land grabbing by mine owners and mafia thus stripping them of their land . Agricultural land is destroyed by this form of mining as it contaminates land and water and makes it infertile for agriculture leaving farmers with no other option but to embrace mining . Untreated toxic discharge from mines has contaminated rivers by making them acidic . Scientists have claimed that the water of the rivers is gradually turning brownish orange . Rat- hole mining affects the productivity of land and makes it infertile and legal scholars believe that it damages the environment and is not in conformity with article 21 which protects the right to life and dignity of a person .
The insatiable greed of the mine owners and the lack of alternative livelihood for people has faciliated the continuation of mining despite the NGT ban of 2014 . Conrad Sangma , the chief minister of Meghalaya said that a blanket ban on mining is not a solution but the safety of the workers and health of the environment cannot be compromised . Then why the government did not do anything to ensure safety of the workers ? Why untreated toxic discharge was allowed from mines to flow into the rivers? The contribution of mining into the GDP and it being an important source of revenue makes it difficult for the government to ban it . But it does not mean that the life of the workers and the health of the environment can be taken for granted. The government should make guidelines ensuring the safety of workers , treating the toxic waste from mines before discharging it into the rivers. Not allowing mines near agricultural land may be a good step to preserve the fertility of the land .
RESERVATION FOR UPPER CASTE POOR
President Ram Nath Kovind approved a bill granting 10% reservation in educational institutions and public employment to the economically weaker sections of the general catagory. Earlier , the Constitution ( one hundred and twenty forth ammendment ) bill , 2019 was passed by both the houses of parliament with a special majority ( majority of the total membership of the house and a two-thirds majority of the members of the house present and voting ).
The government tabled the bill in parliament the very next day it got clearance from the powerful union cabinet . This was an abberation as the government is required to circulate the bill two days prior to the discussion in parliament. The house refused to entertain the demands of sending the bill to a parliamentary committee for getting expert opinion and public feedback . Surprisingly, the regime which does not have numbers in the upper house managed to get it’s approval after a marathon nine hour debate. This emphatically asserts that reservation is an issue which can bring all the parties across the political spectrum on the same page .
The parameters set for recognizing a person as ” poor” are interesting and worthy of discussion. A person who earns less than Rs 8 lakh annually, owns less than 5 acres of land and has house which is spread not beyond an area of 1000 square feet will be recognized as poor under this law. The National Sample Survey ( NSS) of 2011-12 shows that the annual per capita expenditure for 99% of the households falls under this threshold, even when we take inflation into account . Similarly as per the India Human development Survey ( IHDS) , the annual household incomes of 98% of households are less than Rs 8 lakh. The provisions of this bill are being compared with the factors which determine the creamy layer among the OBCs . This is an ill- conceived inference because a person who hails from an OBC caste is denied reservation if his father in addition to earning less than Rs 8 lakh a year is a doctor , lawyer , engineer, actor , writer , a judge of Supreme Court or High court , or is an officer of the rank of a colonel in defence forces ,but no such stipulation is made in this bill . So who is left?
The timing of this bill needs to be paid attention to . It took the government four and a half years to table this bill in parliament. It is more or less a move out of desperation. The ignominy of loosing elections in the three states of Hindi heartland and the looming general elections may have tempted the Modi government to come up with this manouvoure. This move will cater to the upper castes , the core voter base of the Bharatiya Janata Party.
In the current scenario, it is important to discuss why India felt the need of having reservation in the first place . Reservation was brought to provide opportunities to the lower sections of the society ( SCs, STs and OBCs) which faced discrimination and social exclusion in the past . It was brought to ascertain their representation in educational institutions and public employment. Social and educational backwardness was taken as a criteria for granting quota . Evils of caste system , brahminical hegemony necessitated the inclusion of caste based reservation provisions in our constitution.
It is true that poverty has no caste but providing quota is not a solution to this malady . Political monouvoures like these will only perpetuate reservation system in Indian society . Financial incapacity does not mandate special treatment because reservation is not a poverty alleviation programme . The government should instead formulate policies which will ensure that no one is denied an opportunity because of his/ her financial limitations .
Although , the bill has received the assent of thee president but the biggest question here is whether it will be able to survive judicial scrutiny . The bill in contention mandates ammendments in article 15 and 16 which prohibits discrimination of any kind on the basis of caste , religion , sex , place of birth and ensures equality of opportunities in public employment respectively. Besides , our Constitution does not provide reservation on the basis of financial incapacity. The earlier attempt by PV Narsimha Rao government to provide quota on economic basis was struck down by the Apex court. Adding to the woes is the fact that the government does not have any scientific data to prove that the upper caste people who are economically weaker are socially and educationally backward or are not adequately represented in public life making the chances of this bill surviving judicial scrutiny bleak. It will be intersesting to see how the court reacts to this act of political adventurism.
JUSTICE AFTER 34 YEARS
The Delhi high court gave a momentous verdict when it found Congress veteran ,Sajjan Kumar, guilty of criminal conspiracy in connection with the Sikh Massacre which took place in 1984 . Sajjan Kumar was a member of parliament at that time . The court overruled a trial Court’s diktat absolving Kumar of all the charges . The victims finally have something to feel happy about . The conviction has reinstated faith in judiciary.
Unrest prevailed in Punjab in the 1980’s with separatists led by Jarnail Singh Bindrawale demanded a separate state called ” khalistan” . He made the holy shrine of Golden temple his headquarters where he stayed with his comrades and weaponary . Perturbed by his manouvoures , the Indian government under the leadership of Indira Gandhi decided to launch ” operation blue star” . Bindrawale along with his followers was killed in the military action which took place inside the holy shrine . The Indian government’s action was ensued and was perceived as an assault on the Sikh religion. Irked by Indira’s move , her Sikh bodyguards, in a move of retaliation, killed her . And what followed the assassination of the prime minister is one of the darkest chapter in the history of independent India. A countrywide Sikh pogrom was triggered and according to independent estimates , around 8000-17000 people were killed . Official Indian government sources reported that about 2,800 sikhs were killed in Delhi alone .
What was surprising was the emotional support that Rajiv Gandhi, son of Indira Gandhi received from the citizens of the country who voted him to power with the biggest majority in the history of Indian electoral democracy .
The Delhi high court observed in it’s judgement that the criminals who were involved in the Sikh pogrom enjoyed political patronage thereby evading prosecution and punishment. The authorities turned a blind eye to the screams of the victims . What happened in 1984 was not a riot , it was an organized pogrom in which people belonging to a particular community were summarily exterminated . It was an act executed to satisfy the thirst of vengeance . This inhuman act was blatantly supported by the entire governmental machinary which decided not to take any action against the culprits .
Why do riots happen ? From where do the parties and the leaders get the impetus and the courage to execute these horrendous acts? Is it only because of the impunity they enjoy ? They do it in order to get political gains . These parties and leaders ride on mob emotions to power. So, the onus is on the electorate. If the voters resolve to not to support any such acts against humanity, then no leader or party will be able to muster the courage to execute these barbaric acts .
Jugdish kaur , the principle witness whose family was a victim of the 1984 anti- Sikh riots has welcomed the judgement . She along with other victims who lost their loved ones in the massacre have something to cheer about . But what is unfortunate is the time that it took for justice to be delivered. It took 34 long years to bring the offenders to justice . The perseverance and courage shown by jugdish kaur and other witnesses and victims is the first political leader who has been convicted in a case of riot. This is a good beginning. Proper arrangements for the speedy trials of cases involving pogroms or mob violence . Perpetrators should not be allowed to live with a sense of impunity .
ELECTION RESULTS AND ROAD AHEAD
Results of the five Indian states : Madhya Pradesh , Chattisgarh, Rajasthan , Telangana, Mizoram, were declared on Tuesday. These results came as a massive shock for the Bharatiya Janata Party which failed to win a majority in any of the states . On the other hand , these results bright smile on the face of Congress president Rahul Gandhi whose grand old party is looking all set to form governments in three important states of the Hindi heartland. K. Chandrashekhar Rao became the king of Telangana while MNF defeated the Congress convincingly in a one sided contest .
Madhya Pradesh was an absolute slugfest . Elections were held on the 230 seats of the assembly . After going neck to neck for a long time, the Congress managed to nudge its political rival to secure a victory . All eyes were on this cliffhanger as Shivraj Singh Chauhan was seeking a historic fourth term as chief minister of the state. The state witnessed massive campaigning in the run up to the elections . The Congress , under the leadership of Kamal Nath and Jyotiraditya Scindia campaigned voraciously. Former chief minister , Digvijay Singh was given the responsibility of containing the rebels .
The grand old party which wears secularism as a badge of honour displayed the ideology of passive Hindutva . Promises of promoting cow urine and the construction of gaushalas were made in the Congress manifesto . For the Bharatiya Janata Party, the campaign was led by two of the strongest partymen– Prime minister Narendra Modi and party president ,Amit shah . But the rallies and public meetings addressed by Modi and Shah did not bore fruits . The BJP government was ruling the state for the last 15 years and despite element of anti- incumbancy , the party performed well. Congress veteran Kamal Nath is all set to become the next chief minister of the state .
The voters of Rajasthan did what they have done on the last decades – not returning a party to power . The tenure of Vasundhara Raje was mired in controversies and despite all her efforts the party lost the elections . The Congress fell just short of a majority. In Rajasthan , the party was led by the promising leader, Sachin Pilot who exercised prudence and manifested his credentials to lead the party in the state .
The Congress party lost the only North Eastern state in which it was in power, Mizoram. It is inexplicable why Congress did not pay adequate attention to this election . Mizo National Front toppled the Congress and claimed a thumping majority . The Congress party loosing in Mizoram has made North East India ” Congress mukht ” .
Chattisgarh, an important state of the Hindi heartland went to polls and the results were disapointing for the Bharatiya Janata Party. Raman Singh , the outgoing chief minister took full responsibility for the party’s defeat . The result brought joy for the Congress cohort who is all set to make a political comeback after 15 years . Anti- incumbancy played an important role in the defeat of the BJP.
In Telangana, the Congress proved no match for the Telangana Rashtriya Samiti which secured a mammoth victory. The grand alliance of the Congress with the TDP and the CPI failed miserably .
So, what inferences can be drawn from the results of the elections? Is it a victory of Rahul Gandhi and a defeat of Modi? How important is these results are keeping in mind the general elections scheduled for next year?
The Congress party which claims itself to be secular is bringing a dramatic shift in its ideological orientation. The Congress president, Rahul Gandhi has now become a ” janeu- dhari” , ” tilak- dhari” , ” gotra -conscious ” leader who regularly visits temples . It is evident that the party is trying to shed it’s image of a being a pro-minority party . Seeing the Congress pandering to the views of the majority are threatening signals for the minorities .
This strategy of ” passive Hindutva” will only bring ruins to the grand old party in the general elections next year . So it will be in congress’ best interests if it sticks to it’s secular image so that it can challenge the BJP jaggurnaut ideologically .
RESERVATION FOR MARATHAS
The Maharashtra state assembly , on Thursday, unanimously passed a bill granting 16 % reservation to the maratha community in government jobs and educational institutions . All parties were of the opinion that there is indeed a need to grant reservation to the community. The governor of Maharashtra ,C. Vidyasagar Rao approved the bill by signing it. Maharashtra already provides reservation to the tune of 52% , this move will take the window of reservation to 68% .
The decision of the Maharashtra government granting 16 % reservation to the maratha community was based on the findings of the Maharashtra state backward class commission. The commission conducted a survey of around 43,000 families to know their educational , economic and social status. Based on the inferences, the commission concluded that the community was backward . According to reports ,the commission had laid down 25 parameters to determine whether the marathas can be termed as backward. Also , it has studied around two lakh memorandums it has received in the public hearings from time to time.
The state government has finally fulfilled the long pending demand of the maratha community. They have been demanding reservation since 1980. There have been 58 marches since 2016 . The protest across Maharashtra witnessed a huge turnout by the marathas. In 2014 , the state government led by congress- NCP passed a bill granting 16 % reservation to the maratha community but the move was struck down by the Bombay high court . So , this is not the first time a state government has granted reservation to this community.
The supreme Court, in a 1992 verdict had capped reservations in government jobs and educational institutions at 50%. But in an order in July 2010 , it allowed states to exceed the 50% limit for reservation provided they had scientific data to justify the increase . Tamil Nadu is at the top of the table granting 69% reservation in government jobs and educational institutions followed by Haryana which gives reservation to the tune of 67%.
50% of Maharashtra population is either maratha or kunbi. Since 1960 , of the 18 chief ministers of Maharashtra , as many as 10 have been marathas. The records emphatically asserts the fact that the marathas exercise a lot of influence in all spheres of public life . Since they are large in numbers , they become supremely important for vote bank politics .
What is worth noticing is the timing of this bill . It may have been brought now keeping in mind the state elections which are scheduled to take place in five states and the all important general elections next year . Fulfilling the demands of the electorate at the time of elections is not something new. The topic of whether the intentions of the government are bonafide or was the move made simply to woo the electorate is debatable.
Whatever may be the intentions of the government, the road for this bill is filled with impediments. The bill has to be cleared by both the houses of the parliament. It will also have to face the scrutiny of the court. Only time will tell the fate of this bill.
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