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Re: Reviewing the Manifesto : I
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Please help make the Manifesto better, or accept it, and propagate it!
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Dear Umesh,
I agree to some extent with you, but please tell me whether we should at
least link reservations (and their phasing out) with a formula which records
the numbers of inter-caste killings each year in India. And with other forms
of blatant civil and criminal discrimination. We can change the formula or
the statement if you like, but please take into account the statistics which
were sent over by Henry Thiagraj earlier, while that para was being
formulated.
SS
From: Tiwari, Umesh K <UKTiwari@pcgb.com> said:
> While reading the updated manifesto, I found a piece I thought I should
send
> my reaction about. Here is the original piece :
>
> "2.1 Phasing out the reservation system: The role and shape of the
> reservation policy needs to be well understood. Given the unfortunate
> persistence of social discrimination against certain citizens based on
> social status determined by birth within the Hindu religion, it is
> necessary for the relevant religious leaders to work toward complete
> abolition of the caste system, which would then facilitate the early
> elimination of compensatory discrimination practiced by the state. A
three
> pronged strategy to move this issue forward will be adopted:
> a) Investment will be made in areas that have a long term impact on
the
> welfare of the weaker sections of the society. "
>
> I know that it is very difficult subject to tackle, and each side can make
a
> compelling case for or against caste based reservation policy.
>
> My concern here is "...relevant religious leaders .." :
> Based on my understanding of Hindu religion, there are no relevant
religious
> leaders of Hindu religion unlike Pope John Paul of Catholicism, neither is
> there anything like central Roman Authority which might otherwise govern
the
> rules of Hindu religion. Although the Shankaracharyas of various Math's do
> have some authority with which they can speak, but there are more Hindus
who
> don't care to follow Vishwa Hindu Parishad or Acharya Giriraj Kishor (who
by
> the way advocates Sati Pratha!).
>
> Indian political system should not concern itself with whether or not
Hindu
> religion wishes to "Abolish Caste System", what it definitely has a role
in
> is to ensure nobody gets discriminated against because of carrying some
> caste or religious labels. I know that it would be nice to not have caste
> system in India, but I can only guarantee to persuade my own parents and
> siblings not to discriminate people on the basis of their caste. To ask
them
> to not recognize caste would be impossible, and in fact, to an extent
> violating their right to possess their own beliefs. I would let that be
> taken care of by social reformers.
>
> Another point in this section a) is on the term "weaker sections". I think
> the term "weaker section" needs to be defined more clearly by the policy
> makers just for the purposes of policy formulations and nothing else. Even
> though it may look like "weaker sections" are "lower caste" people, if the
> "weaker section" is defined in economic and educational awareness terms,
you
> make progress, find ways to include all of those who need help,
irrespective
> of their religion or caste, while you also get the incentive to move
people
> out of poverty and ignorance, thereby allowing others who need help to
enjoy
> the incentives and benefits and graduate out of their miserable
situations.
> Meddling into fixing "caste consciousness" is not going to take the policy
> makers anywhere. We should try to learn something from our fifty year
> history.
>
> If you define "weaker section" in economic and educational backwardness
> sense, then you automatically cover all those who you intend to serve by
> caste based reservation without getting into the vicious circle.
>
> The problem is policy makers in India are masters of copying and don't
want
> to take the pains to find some original solutions for their very original
> problems. Caste based reservations were simply copied from the affirmative
> action plans which provide racial preference to blacks in the United
States.
> First of all, India is not as back and white as the United States.
Secondly,
> Indian Caste problems are not the same as that of the black slaves who
were
> brought in and kept here by force for centuries, neither are different
caste
> people so different in appearance as a black would differ from a white
> person.
>
> To discriminate is human. However, if you see the difference right in
front
> of you, as in black and white, your eyes might discriminate and you may
act
> differently unless there are consequences, and hence came the affirmative
> action and other such things. However, caste discrimination cannot be
> treated that way, and it was a mistake to apply affirmative action to fix
> caste problem. Please remember, divergence of views will always be there
in
> the society, and that ought to be celebrated. The State should have no
> business telling people what to believe in and what not to believe in.
> However it should ensure that freedom and liberty of one citizen is not
> affected by exercise of free speech by others, and that's clearly a law
and
> order problem and very simple to deal with. Allow people to believe
whatever
> they want, but don't let them abuse others or discriminate against others.
>
> Thank You.
>
> Umesh Tiwari
>
>
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> This is the National Debate on System Reform. debate@indiapolicy.org
> Rules, Procedures, Archives: http://www.indiapolicy.org/debate/
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>
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This is the National Debate on System Reform. debate@indiapolicy.org
Rules, Procedures, Archives: http://www.indiapolicy.org/debate/
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