a thought on the antireservation protests!!!

Well, I am feeling guilty of not participating at all in the reservation row that has stirred the youth of our country. I was just browsing the Rediff site where they have a special section on this issue. I have been going through this section from time to time; and every time my blood would boil at the crime being inflicted by our politicians that would be a scar, no, a wound, that could prove be the deathknell for the dream of a developed India.

How can the government pass such a law? I feel proud that there are youth among us who are willing to stand up for a just cause. The students presently studying in the institutes of higher education – the IITs, AIIMS etc… would not at all be affected by the new regulations, however, the patriotic fervour and nationalist feeling surging within us has made some of them stand up and think of the future – the future of India, a thought that never crosses the minds of our politicians even in the wildest of their dreams.

How can a nation imagine to progress when the selections especially in the higher education are done not by merit but on the basis of his caste. One can probably have a stand if the reservations are based on the economic criteria but basing it on caste is not justifiable by any means.What surprises me most is the fact that our Prime Minister and even the President are not inclined to say anything in favour of the anti-reservation activists. This shocked me as in the past couple of years, I had put enormous faith in our Prime Minister and of his abilities to steer India towards the progressive path. Not to talk about Dr. Kalam…I have been looking upto him right from my 9th grade I guess. He was and, I guess, he is still one of my idols. I am sure their tongues must have been tied by the other politicians but I was thinking that this is an issue on which one could even resign. That is a little far-fetched act but still, you cannot just be mute to the whole controversy when you are the PM or the President and let your bright youth sit on a hunger strike for such a long time.

Next thing that surprises me is the statement of the Supreme Court “ordering” the agitating students to stop their strike and restore normalcy in the hospitals. Uptil now, in all my life, I always saw the Supreme Court orders as a step in the right direction. Be it the Delhi CNG issue, the Narmada issue, the demolition of illegal establishments issue and so on…now this statement too can be viewed in the positive light arguing that the order comes in the wake of the difficulties being faced by the common man in getting treatment. However, the question is instead of “ordering” the striking activists , why doesn’t it “order” the government to atleast put a hold on their law until both sides sit and draft an agreeable solution. The whole world is , I am sure, mocking at us.

We are at the crossroads of making history. There are just two roads ahead of us – one that we continue the caste based reservation system in higher education and the other one, that we instead put the huge money in the primary education sector that needs to be strengthened.It really pains to see our friends sitting out there in the heat while I sit in an AC room in front of a computer and just watching the drama unfold. I would have loved to participate in it but…no excuse would justify it.

On the last day of my stay in Delhi, when I was about to leave for home, I got a call from my senior to call up the AIIMS students and ask how we could help them. I did the same. However, as I had to leave, I gave the task to one of my friends, Saket Yadav. He got a poster printed and got it posted on the notice boards of all the hostels. A poster that I had designed. Thus I, atleast, made an effort to get more people pulled towards the protests. I need to go now, though this blog on these protests seems incomplete. Maybe next time!!