Opinion - Letters to the Editor   

Reservation row

This refers to the article "Countering social discrimination" (June 2). Intra-group inequities are worse than inter-group inequities. The intra-group divide comes in the way of the most backward among the backward getting the benefits of reservation. The affluent among the OBCs are not very different from the forward castes. But the real problem lies in excluding them. We need to evolve a scientific method for excluding the creamy layer to ensure effective implementation of the reservation policy.

S. Iyyampillai,
Tiruchi, T.N.

Anti-quota protesters are not against the uplift of the disadvantaged. They are against the manner in which the Government intends to address their backwardness. If large sections of backward communities are excluded from higher education even after 60 years of reservation, it is not because of monopolistic tendencies of the privileged. It is because of the inability of governments to provide quality education at the lower level, and faulty implementation of policies.

Sutirtha Sahariah,
New Delhi

The report that resident doctors have resumed work was heartening. Though the Government has behaved recklessly on the quota issue, medicos should not disregard their duty. There are many ways of expressing dissatisfaction and neglecting duty is certainly no way of doing it.

C. Kartik,
Chennai

This refers to the statement of Meira Kumar, Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment, that business and industry must voluntarily opt for reservation (June 2). The UPA Government is aiming only at strengthening its vote-bank, not at developing the nation. The private industry needs quality workers, not quota workers. It will weaken the economy.

G. Venkatesan,
Chennai

To outdo the Centre's move to increase reservation to 49.5 per cent, Tamil Nadu has extended 69 per cent reservation to un-aided colleges too. The Supreme Court has said reservation cannot exceed 50 per cent but there is 69 per cent reservation in the State. Crutches in higher education, without any sustained effort to improve the quality of primary education, and the coming reservation for jobs in the private sector, which will probably be followed by quota in promotion too, will ensure that politicians will get all the votes they want for the rest of their lives.

K. Chandrasekar,
Chennai

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