From: sundar@indigo1.hsis.uci.edu (M. Sundaramoorthy)
Subject: Re: Reservations: Caste, Gender and Money
Newsgroups: soc.culture.tamil
Organization: University of California, Irvine
Date: 20 Aug 92 18:13:29 GMT

In article <1992Aug20.023025.22709@u.washington.edu> ngrjn@milton.u.washington.edu (V Nagarajan) writes:
>In article <2A92EAAE.20972@orion.oac.uci.edu> sundar@indigo1.hsis.uci.edu (M. Sundaramoorthy) writes:
>>
>>(1). RESERVATION FOR WOMEN:
>>
>>One of the first thing the DMK goverment did after winning elections in 1988
>>was announcing 30% reservation for women. It was one of the promises in DMK's
>>election manifesto. There was no criticism from the press and there was no
>>agitation by students or menfolks. 
>...
>	Even tho you say at the end of the article that this is your `final
>	word', I hope you will clarify some of the points you have made.
>	For instance, is it 30% out of the overall number of seats or out
>	of the "open" quota"? Is it still in effect? I can imagine why
>	there would not have been much of an uproar - not many would have
>	taken it seriously as women have to be allowed to go in for higher
>	education in the first place. 

	I will clarify this point. This is a reservation within reservation,
	including the 'open quota'. With this, the so called 'forward caste'
	women are also likely to benefit. This is like reservation for
	ex-service men, sports persons etc.

	Aside: All the teaching posts till grade five are to be filled with
	the women, becuase 'they are soft minded to treat children'. And
	there is a move since a decade to reserve seats for Women and Dalits
	in local bodies also.
>
>>A netter asked that unreserved seats should be reserved for the forward castes.
>>What Periyar proposed in 'Kanchipuram Congress Conference' was a similar one:
>>He called it 'vaguppuvaari pirathinithiththuvam'. That means each caste will
>>be given representation according to the proportion of their strength. In such
>>a situation, brahmins who are 3% in population will get 3% reservation. Will
>>brahmins be happy with en exclusive 3% reservation for them?.
>>
>>I don't think they would. They want the reservations be totally abolished, 
>>rather than having reservation for themselves. If it happens, the pattern will
>>change to that exist in central government offices and institutions. 
>
>	I would like to know what you think. Should there also be equal
>	distribution of wealth? Pool what everyone owns and divide up the
	
	That is what should be done with land also. The so called land ceiling
	act is supposed to do that. See, why left parties are still popular
	in West Bengal (mostly rural). One important reason is land reforms.
	Though the Tamil Nadu parties call Moopanar 'naalaayiram veli
	mooppanaaru' (when they are not in alliance), no noe dared to touch 
	him.

	Regarding wealth: That is what done at least theoritically by our
	economists, when they calculate the so called per capita income.

>	every profession that falls under the government control? Propor-
>	tional representation in politics and government? If not, why not?
>	I truly think that the dalits will never become powerful. Again,
>	the reasons are not difficult to guess.

	I agree. Unless the true uprising by Dalits happens there is no
	chance. Now the so called Dalit leaders are just power brokers. 
>>
>
>							- Nagarajan

M. Sundaramoorthy
sundar@indigo1.hsis.uci.edu