From: prem@cs.montana.edu (M.P.Premkumar)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.tamil
Subject: Re: A CHALLENGE TO THE OPPONENTS OF CASTE BASED RESERVATIONS
Date: 3 Sep 92 16:05:05 GMT
Article-I.D.: coe.1992Sep3.160505.4024
Organization: Dept. of Computer Science, MSU, Bozeman Mt 59717

In article <1992Sep2.181650.4489@b30.ingr.com> shiva@b30.ingr.com (Shiva Shivakumar) writes:
>In article <1992Aug31.221855.26000@coe.montana.edu> prem@cs.montana.edu (M.P.Premkumar) writes:
>>
>	[most of a well written article deleted]
>
>>The most apalling thing in the whole reservation issue is the hypocrisy of the
>>backward caste people when it comes to reservation for the SC/ST. Because these
>>people who were in the very bottom of the society[the real "centuries" of opress
>>-ed people] are the ones who need reservations more than any body else. Yet the
>>backward caste people time and again critisize the reservations for SC/ST's. And
>>the reaction of FCs towards the SC/ST's is no different. These people[both
>
>	In my experience, most of the FCs are pissed off only at the reservation
>to BCs and they do not mind (and some even support) support to SC/STs. One
>reason is there is much more room for a caste to be 'misclassified' as a BC
>than as a SC or ST.
>
>>BC and FC] can never digest the fact that SC/ST's can get into a particular
>>college with considerably lesser marks. And they conveniently forget how these
>>people were and still are oppressed in the society. 
>>
>>One common tactics of the upper caste people is to point out one or two SC/STs
>>who are rich and argue how their reservation is unjust. But to my knowledge and
>>my experience in college I found most of the SC/STs are poor and still education
>	See my comment above.
>
>>not for the reservations. And once again I would like to stress the fact that
>>economic well being is not a factor like most people argue. Because there are 
>>rich and poor in all castes[in case of SC/STs most of them are poor] and the 
>>economic criteria would not have achieved what the caste based reservations 
>>achieved.Only because of caste based reservations we now have a balanced society
>>Other wise brahmins would be studying science and technology, chettiars would be
>>lending money and kaikolars would be weaving and so on. One other argument is
>>that the general standard of education has gone down because of reservations.
>>On the contrary the gap between the classes[FCs and BCs, BCs and SC/STs] has 
>>narrowed considerably over the years[ref: cut off marks for admission].
>>
>
>	If balance w.r.t. caste is needed in education, why not in other
>fields ? There are many areas (money lending, land ownership, etc. etc) in
>which brahmins are underrepresented. How about reservations for them? For
>example, a license to start a particular type of business in which brahmins
>are under represented, is given to brahmins even when they are less qualified
>than others ..

You missed my point. I used that particular argument to stress the importance of
education nowadays and to justify reservations in education. Education is the
prime area for reservation and it is one field the govt. can do something. But
land ownership and business is entirely different. If one has money then no
problem, he can do whatever he wants. But can the government be asked to give
money to someone to buy a piece of land ?[loans are given to landless peasants
throughout India to encourage them to own their own field]

>
>You have a valid point when you say that a rich BC/SC still deserves some
>'push' in education and the long term effect will be good. 

Wrong again. Rich BC/SC DOESN't deserve a 'push'. My argument is: we should not
oppose reservation just because some of them misuse them.

>
>How about an amendment ? Money is no problem for him, right? He should pay
>a heavy sum for his college seat (much more than the fees) and for every
>poor FC  who gets high(er) marks, some 'compensation' is given. Some sort of
>'bartering'.
>
>>Sincerely yours,
>>M.P.Premkumar
>
>Thanks for a balanced posting
>
>Jagadisan Shivakumar