ISSN (Online) - 2349-8846

Fair Representation of SCs/STs

As we have progressed, various caste groups have agitated for their share in reserved quotas eitheras Other Backward Classes or Extremely Backward Classes. We have seen violent conflicts andsocial unrest over this issue. However, recent developments and statements by certain actors, andthe observations of the Supreme Court as reported in the Indian Express on 28 October 2015 (“InNational Interest, Scrap Quota in Higher Education Institutions: Supreme Court”) pose seriousthreat to “reservation” in itself. It should be noted that initially Babasaheb Ambedkar soughtreservation for the Dalits and backward castes: the debate around the Poona Pact is a goodevidence of this. However, representation was substituted by reservation to address the historicalinjustices. This was intended for a 10-year period but subsequently it has been extended. Nowreservation is condemned on grounds of efficiency and merit.

Every now and then the issue of efficiency and merit comes up as an argument to scrap thereservation system. However, numerous studies, reports and data have shown that till date therehas been a marginal increase in the status of a tiny percentage of Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe(SC/ST) population. They continue to face humiliation, exclusion, torture, oppression and violenceand find almost zero representation in many aspects of governance and public life.

We would like to place certain points before public to contest the statements made against theinterests of SCs/STs:

(1) Socially, SCs/STs form separate and distinct element from the rest of the population. Therefore,to protect and preserve their interests in all sorts of human life, their representations in alldemocratic institutions are guaranteed under the Constitution. In society, position of SC/ST is notaccepted—SC/ST children are burnt alive, gang-raped openly and socially boycotted. Economically,they are weak and politically they are controlled by the workings of the electoral system.

(2) Representation of SCs/STs is almost negligible in the secretariat of President, Prime Minister,Supreme Court and high courts. In these places, representation of SCs/STs cannot be heldresponsible for the persistent corruption.

(3) Concentration of wealth is against the constitutional spirit and values under Article 38. Wealthof temples and top 500 corporates is beyond speculation to a common mind. There is norepresentation of SCs/STs in religious institutions and hardly any representation in the privatesector. Therefore SCs/STs cannot be held responsible for the concentration of wealth in templesand companies.

(4) Government of India provides tax relief (revenue forgone) of Rs 5 lakh crore to corporate sector.SCs/STs do not get any benefit out of it. Therefore, they are not responsible for fiscal deficit.

(5) Nearly Rs 200 lakh crore is transacted at the Bombay Stock Exchange and National StockExchange but there is no record of the transaction tax thereon. SCs/STs have no representation inthese institutions.

(6) Ashwini Deshpande and other researchers have shown that ensuring SC/ST representationimproved performance of the Indian Railways, TATA International and various other outfits.

It is clear that SCs/STs are not responsible for forcing and enforcing an oligarchic outlook on the

ISSN (Online) - 2349-8846

judicial, executive, economic and legislative infrastructure—on the entire country, in fact. Thisoligarchy is the root of all corruption. It is only representation, in democratic manner, which canstop corruption in all the dimensions of national life.

SCs/STs have a history of demanding fair distribution of wealth, knowledge (education) and power.Their representation needs to be promoted and extended everywhere to minimise corruption. But itis strange to note that authority of the Supreme Court has been invoked against the representationof SCs/STs.

Delhi Solidarity Group

Delhi