Reservation

[Guest guest]

Dear All, On the basis of what has been quoted by Nikhil about Swamiji's views on education among lower classes I would say the situation has been changed and the society has seen many a transformation. Now the country is free and deicide on its own, whereas in Swamiji's time it was difficult to implement a fresh independent thought. We can take the spirit of His divine words instead of trying to focus our thoughts on a bygone social structure. Social structures are dynamic and everything is changeable except truth. And in my opinion truth is at the side of dispensing justice to everybody. The students who cross the barrier of graduation (for IIMs) or higher secondary classes, it is well conceivable that they are not economically backward than those who even don't get education at primary level! Again, if a backward class student gets chance of being an IIM graduate, then does reservation bar his next

generation from this fascility? No. The son of an IIM educated father of a backward class would enjoy the same reservation though by that time it would become an unjust. So, it would be reversing the same theory of oppresion on upper castes as they did on the backwards. But should the upper caste students can be held guilty what their ancestors did? Why there is less number of Backward class students in Primary education? Why should we not secure their education till 12 th, make the education free for only backward classes and not upper classes, let the nation put more funds for their clothing, medication and education and let the upper castes be barred from all these fasicilities and this will ensure enough justice because we will be bringing backward calsses to the front and let them sit with others instead of pursuing a false cause of giving more fascilities to the already privileged backward people who really do not need

reservation. Again if we look at the Muslim population they contribute 15% of Indian society but are there really 15% Muslims in all leading Indian institutes? Nobody is talking about them. But if education (upto 10+2) is made free for all economically depressed classes and not on the ground of castes then justice will be done to these 15% too. This will eventually help to choose real talent and hard working people from all sections, doctors, technocrats and bureaucrats will be trained, talented and be represented from all sections of society.

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[Guest guest]

From Nikhil's quote of Swamiji, I only understand that if the

Brahmins claim superiority on account of their birth and claim

exclusive rights to education based on their 'superior capacity' assumption,

then spend no special effort on him for he is well capable of taking

care of himself. I think this has been quoted quite out of context for

reservation, for he doesn't say that brahmins are superior and hence to

level it, the lower castes must be given more privileges.

 

More than anything, we see that this is dividing the hindu community

like no other. People from backward castes feel that even if this is

wrong, it would not amount to the injustice meted out to them in the

past. The upper castes feel that in an age of so called rationalism, it

is totally irrational to punish people for what their ancestors had

done ages ago. And finally it ends in the fact that none of us feel

proud of our heritage which seems to be so tainted.

 

Regards,

Raj

 

 

satrajit gupta wrote:

 

Dear All,

 

On the basis of what has been quoted by Nikhil about

Swamiji's views on education among lower classes I would say the

situation has been changed and the society has seen many a

transformation. Now the country is free and deicide on its own, whereas

in Swamiji's time it was difficult to implement a fresh independent

thought.

 

"Ay Brahmins, if the Brahmin has more aptitude for learning on the

ground of heredity than the Pariah, spend no more money on the

Brahmin's education, but spend all on the Pariah. Give to the weak,

for there all the gift is needed. If the Brahmin is born clever, he

can educate himself without help. If the others are not born clever,

let them have all the teaching and the teachers they want. This is

justice and reason as I understand it."

 

-- The more and better you know, the heavier would be your judgement, unless your life be also more holy.

-Imitation Of Christ

[Guest guest]

I would have to completely agree with you. Swamiji said we have to raise the lower, not lower the higher classes. But such reservations are exactly what he asked us not to do.

 

By allowing a massive segment of the population to bypass competition, effectively eliminate the need to hone their skills, society would tend to rot. Because they dont have to have cutting edge skills to get into top level institutions, they definitely would not be able to compete with the people (though few) who have gotten in on merit. This makes an additional need to include reservations to assure them of their jobs too! In effect, being born in OBC would put one in the fast track for a job without effort, or at least so it is claimed. Even this can be admitted as an excusable but foolish idea; what is incorrigible is that this is not even true. The total number of seats in the top level institutions, IIT & IIM etc, which will be " quota-ed " will be around 600. That for a population of 30 crore!! And for this less than insignificant number of seats, there will be animosity between students from the school level, essentially dividing society for no practical benefit of the civil masses(i dont consider such politicians as civilized beings, and only they will be the beneficiaries).

 

I am also happy that you brought up the issue of 13-14% muslims too. There is a deafening silence from their side, even though they will be seriously affected, and kept out of the top institutions. It might sound like a conspiracy theory, but some things are just too conspicuous not to notice. What do you know? Maybe the " Hindutva-vaadis " are right when they say muslims on the whole would be happy to divide Hindu society.

 

 

Vasanth

[Guest guest]

Namaste, I completely agree with you Satrajit. During Swamiji's time period "lower caste" also represented the lower income group and a powerless section of a society. But in democratic free India nobody can be denied a job or a constitutional right because he/she belongs to a lower caste. Our constitution provides that security to all the citizens of India irrespective of caste, creed, religion etc. Objective of a government is to ensure an overall growth in the country. It is an inefficient process to promote equality by reserving a position of a particular group of people on the basis of his/her caste or religion.To ensure quality in human resource balanced competetion is necessary. It is important that underpriviledged people should get the right opportunity which Government can ensure by providing them tools to hone up skills to compete in the job market.

This will ensure a healthy competetion and an overall growth. satrajit gupta

[Guest guest]

We belong to a rich heritage of Hinduism as a religion as well as a culture. The system of 'Varna' begun when human settled down from nomadic life. In initial stages this 'Varna' system was based on skills and it was flexible (Puranas states many such examples). But this system was formulated in a society 5000 ago, probably that was the need of the hour which did not function well in following era. But whatever happened in the past cannot be rectified by patching it in present. It is necessary to address the root causes and strengthen the unpriviledged from within. This 'qouta' system does not address the root cause instead it increases the existing division in the society. In addition, it detoriates the economy. Most unfortunate consequence that a divided society is easier to exploit and which we dont realise that we all are suffering (irrespective of classes). I wonder why do we not learn from history?!!!!!!! Rajkumar Sundaram