Caste, Religion and Politics

In India the Caste and Religion plays a role in every elections. Even we live in a most modern developed age, the barriers made by the caste and religion remains very strong and unbreakable. The Mandal Commission was established in 1979 by Janatha Party Government under Prime Minister Shri. Morarji Desayi with a mandate to identify the socially and educationally backward. According the social condition of the country to protect the democratic ideology, special considerations are needed for the socially, economically and educationally backward society. The Mandal Commission was set up for the uplift of the backward people. In 1980 the Commission's report affirmed the affirmative action practice under Indian Law where the backward people were given eclusive access to certain portion of Government services slots of public Universities. L. R Naik only Dalit member of the Commission refused to sign the Mandal Commission recommendations because of his fear that well-to-do Other Backward Caste people would corner all the benefits of reservations.


During another Government period lead by Viswanath Prathap Singh, the prime minister at the time tried to implement the Mandal Commission recommendations in 1989. A massive protest were held against it across the country. From the time many politicians have been using the caste-based reservations in their election campaigns. In 1989 Rajiv Goswami, student of Delhi University threatened self-immolation in protest of the Government's action. His action further sparked many self-immolation incidents in many University campuses and led to a formidable movement against job reservations for Backward Castes in India.


During 1990s many political parties adopted the strategy of claiming caste based votes claiming that they are representing the backward castes. In 2006 Arjun Singh cabinet Minister of MHRD of UPA Government was accused of playing caste politics when he introduced reservations for OBCs in Educational Institutions.


In Tamil Nadu, Dravida Munnetta Kazhakam (DMK) attained the power by playing a game named Brahmin Oppression resulting in reverse discrimination against the upper caste Brahmins. After all many Tamil Brahmins have left their state due to this hostile atmosphere created against the upper class people in the State.


Can we claim or call as our Country "The Democratic Social Secular India" ?




News reported by AR for News Vision - Online News Paper

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