Supreme Court (SC) recently struck down Maharashtra govt's decision to grant 16% quotas to Marathas. Social activist and writer Sanjay Sonawani, who had opposed the move, said this could serve as a check on appeasement politics. Sonawani, who spoke to dna's Dhaval Kulkarni, said reservation policy needed a drastic re-look and it should benefit only two generations of a family.
Edited excerpts:
How would you react to the judgement?
It was expected. The high court too had pointed to how crossing the 50% ceiling on quotas would not be correct. Politicians were playing on emotions of the youth. It's a social crime. In Marathwada, youngsters celebrated on the streets after state approved the quota.
How do you eradicate backwardness among Marathas?
Reservation is not the panacea. Privatisation of education is on the rise even as quality is falling. Graduates do not know even the basics. It's necessary to focus on professional courses. Government's share in jobs is declining and it's not possible for it to absorb all youngsters. It must give the poor fee concessions, fund agriculture and linked businesses. Youth must be encouraged to become entrepreneurs and take up farming. Reservations should only be for the helpless. The demand for quotas has led to rise in disputes between reserved and non-reserved categories. Even among those in the reserved category, there is friction—Matang/Charmakars vs Buddhist Dalits among scheduled castes (SC), etc. This vitiates the social environment.
How would SC decision affect Maharashtra?
This would stop demand for reservations and the ability of rulers to give assurances on it. The decision on Maratha quota did not pass muster despite the overwhelming presence of Marathas in (previous Cong- NCP) government. A fallout, however, could be anger mounting among Maratha youth. I will not be surprised if Maratha leaders, who were willing to go a notch down in the caste hierarchy for quota benefits, turn a full circle and go back to their original stand of opposing all quotas.
Decision on Maratha/Muslim quota had led to similar demands from other sections....
That decision had caused anger against Marathas, and amounted to Congress/NCP shooting in the foot. OBCs migrated to BJP because they (who fall in the creamy layer) would have had to compete in the open category, and the new quota had reduced their space. The defeat of Narayan Rane (he headed the cabinet sub-committee on the issue), Vinayak Mete and Rekha Khedekar is the result of OBC unity.
Does reservation policy merit a re-look?
It does. Only two generations of those in reserved categories must get its benefits; third generation must be asked to compete in open category. This will ensure the welfare of those who are really backward. Surveys on communities must be held afresh and should involve anthropology professors. The results of caste and economic census must be published. Today, communities make disproportionate claims on their population. If put together, Maharashtra's population percentage would cross the 100-mark. Those above a certain income level must not be given benefits. Reserved castes should be graded and decisions taken on who must be removed from the category, be given quotas in only jobs, and in both job and education. Or else, repressed classes will continue to remain backward and the well-off will prosper further.