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The Anti-caste-based-reservation protests 2006, that took place in parts Goverment Jobs of Govenment Jobs India, were in opposition to the decision of the Union Government of India, Governemnt Jobs the multiparty coalition 'United Progressive Alliance' (headed by the Indian National Congress), to implement Governmet Jobs reservations for Other Backward Classes in central and private institutes of higher education. In the Givernment Jobs year 2005, based on the recommendations of the Mandal Commission, the government proposed to reserve Govenrment Jobs 27% of seats in the All India Institute of Medical Studies Governmetn Jobs (AIIMS), Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), Governent Jobs the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) and other central institutions of higher education for the Other Backward Classes (OBCs) Overnment Jobs in order to help them gain higher levels of representation in these institutions. This move led to massive protests by those claiming that the government's (and the Congress party`s) proposal is discriminatory and driven by 'vote-bank' politics.^[1]

Historical background

India is divided into many endogamous groups, or castes and sub-castes, as a result of centuries of following "Varnasrama Dharma", a social system which translates to "types" or "order". This put limitations on access to education, jobs and other rights to the"lower-castes".

During the British Raj, some methods for upliftment of the backward among these parts of the population were introduced. These included reservations in the legislature and in government jobs^{citation needed]}. After independence,the Indian constitution, introduced provisions for reservations for the scheduled castes and tribes in government institutions in the 1950s, to give a fair reperesentation to the weaker sections of society. 22.5% of the seats in higher education institutes currently set-aside for Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs).

The reservation system was originally supposed to last only for ten years.^[2] However,it has continued to this day. In 1989, then Prime Minister Vishwanath Pratap Singh accepted and implemented the proposals of the Mandal Commission, which recommended reservations for Other Backward Classes (OBCs). Many Indian states implemented the OBC reservations in their higher educational institutions, which led to protests by those belonging to "upper castes" and opposed to the quota system. It must be noted, however, that a select few higher educational institutions - the IITs, IIMs, AIIMS, etc. - were kept out of the purview of the OBC reservations until now.

In some states (for example Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu) where the quotas for SC/ST/OBC have been implemented, the quota amounts to 50% of the available seats in any medical, engineering or other institute falling under the state government. This includes even the unaided private colleges.

Protests Against Reservation

In 2006, the Human Resoursce Development minister, Arjun Singh promised to implement a 27% reservation for OBCs in institutes of higher education (twenty central universities, the IITs, NITs, IIMs and AIIMS) after the 2006 State Assembly elections, in accordance with the 93rd Constitutional Amendment, which was passed unanimously by both Houses of Parliament. ^[3] The 93rd Constitutional Amendment allows the government to make special provisions for "advancement of any socially and educationally backward classes of citizens", including their admission in aided or unaided private educational institutions. Gradually this reservation policy is to be implemented in private sector institutions and companies as well.^[4] This move led to opposition from the "upper cast" students, as the proposal, will reduce seats for the General category from the existing 77.5% to less than 50.5% (since members of OBCs are also allowed to contest in the General category). However, government of India assuered that number of seats in these educational institutes will be increased so that effectively there will be no reduction in number of seats available for general category

Events

The students against reservation formed a group 'Youth for Equality' and through protests demanded that the government roll back on its decision. The events were widely covered by media. ^[5]

In an incident on May 13, medical students protesting in Mumbai were lathi-charged (baton-charged) by the police. The police later justified the incident claiming that the protestors had tried to break into the Governor’s residence and were blocking traffic.The protest had been previously banned by the High Court.^[6] The nationwide strike launched by "Anti-reservation" medical students protesting against the lathi-charge, was later joined by like minded resident doctors from all over India, thus crippling the health infrastructure of a number of cities and leading to great huamn suffereing as many sick persons who were not at all interested in the quota problem were made to suffer.^[7]^[8]

The government took measures to counter the protesting doctors by serving them with suspension letters and asking them to vacate the hostels to make way for newly recruited doctors. Some states invoked the 'Essential Services Maintenance Act' (ESMA) and gave notices to the doctors to return to work, failing which legal action would be taken against them. The government also put on alert 6,000 men from Rapid Action Force to take care of any untoward incident. However, in most places the protesters remained defiant despite ESMA.

Meanwhile, a body of eminent persons, the National Knowledge Commission, requested the government to maintain 'status-quo' on the issue until alternative policies to reservation were explored.^[9] This movement was heavily criticised by the left parties. After the Human Resources Development Minister Arjun Singh criticized the Knowledge Commission for its stand, two members of the Commission (Pratap Bhanu Mehta and Andre Beteille) resigned on 22 May 2006.^[10]

In Delhi, a human chain rally was organized on May 20, by students of IIT Delhi with the support of PAN IIT. Nearly 150 students went on a 'relay' hunger strike in AIIMS (Delhi) which, lasted for about a month.

Anti-reservation students from IIT Kanpur with like-minded medical college students organized a cycle rally against reservation. About 100 students of PGIMER and 50 students of Punjab University and Punjab Engineering College organised a motor rally on May 23 to the Mansa Devi temple and Nadasaheb gurudwara. On May 20, Indore saw a human chain formation through the M.G. Road. Protest marches were organised on April 28, May 14, and May 20 in Chandigarh.

A resolution, signed by 2,500 IIT Roorkee students and expressing their opposition, was sent to the President, the Prime Minister, the Chief Justice of India and the Election Commission. A peaceful protest march was organised on May 23.^[11] The following were the demands made by the 'Youth for Equality', the anti reservation student body leading the protests: ^[12]

Several students at the IIT Guwahati decided to boycott classes to protest against the government proposal.^[13] In Jaipur, hundreds of striking anti-quota resident doctors went on a door-to-door campaign in Jaipur to garner support for a rally. The doctors affiliated to 'Youth for Equality' began their Jan Samarthan padyatra in the High Court and Banipark areas.^[8]. In Chennai, more than a hundred students from IIT Madras and city medical colleges protested in front of the government guesthouse in Chepauk ^[14]

After the government reaffirmed its commitment to implementing reservations, the protesters called for a "Civil disobedience movement".^[15] Their protests were also supported by the traders in Delhi, who threatened to shut shops if the government doesn't roll back on its decision. The AIIMS Faculty Association went on a mass casual leave from 25 May, 2006 to support the anti-quota stir, but made it clear that basic health-care services would not be disrupted.Whether health care services were really unaffected is questionable.^[15] On 27 May 2006, a massive rally was organised in Delhi. The rally was attended by participants from all over India, numbering almost 1 lakh. It was declared that the strike by students and junior doctors would continue.^[16]

On May 28, 2006, the government set up an 'Oversight Committee' to "prepare a road map with a time-bound programme to implement 27 per cent reservation for OBCs without compromising merit and addressing apprehensions aired by studentspropose an effective way to implement reservations keeping the interests of all sections of society in mind". This committee, headed by former Karnataka Chief Minister M Veerappa Moily, will submit its report by August 31, 2006.^[17]

On 31 May, 2006, in deference to the Supreme Court directive, resident doctors resumed hospital works from 1 June, 2006, as the health service was affected seriously due to the strike. However, protest from the part of students (both medical and other streams) has continued and a national coordination committee comprising representatives of medical colleges, IITs and several other educational institutions has been proposed to be formed to lead the agitation. ^[18] The Supreme Court has also sought the government to clarify the basis on which the reservation policy was being implemented.^{citation needed]}

Political reactions and opinions

The 93rd Constitutional Amendment was passed unanimously in the Lok Sabha except for two abstaining members.^[3] The Left parties, while supporting reservations, called for excluding the 'creamy layer' from availing of its benefits;^[19] the 'creamy layer' is used in reference to members of economically advanced population belonging to any caste.

The Bharatiya Janata Party, in its two-day national executive meeting, backed quotas but also called for upholding merit and excellence in educational institutes. They asked for the benefits of reservations to be extended to "economically weaker sections of the forward castes", and also for exclusion of the 'creamy layer'.^[20]

The Congress party which has introduced these quotas has vociferously backed them. Congress workers allgedely confronted the fasting doctors at AIIMS. They were headed by Sacchar Singh, a relative of HRD minister Arjun Singh. They proceeded with heavy slogan-shouting. It almost became a show-down between both camps; however, the police managed to stop these workers.

The only party which opposed reservations was the Shiv Sena. Its supporters went on a procession to protest the move saying it was votebank politics and a means to divide Hinduism.

Pro-reservation protests

There have also been pro-reservation protest marches, such as the march in Chennai led by the PMK, a key constituent of the DMK-led alliance in Tamil Nadu, which demanded that the OBC reservation quotas be implemented without any delay. They have called upon the government to pay no heed to the anti-reservation protestors.^[21].

Pro Reservation protestors went on a rampage in Patna where they openly smashed pelted stones at cars and charged at the media with lathis (batons). However, to bring them under control, they had to be lathi-charged.(Citiation required)

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Contents

Historical background

Protests Against Reservation

Events

Political reactions and opinions

Pro-reservation protests

See Also

Population Statistics

References

See also

External links