Published: April 26, 2010 21:14 IST | Updated: April 26, 2010 21:14
IST MANGALORE, April 26, 2010
Scrap political reservation for Dalits, Adivasis says Dalit academician
Staff Correspondent
Kannada columnist and Special Officer in-charge of the Scheduled Caste
and Scheduled Tribes' Welfare Cell at the Mangalore University M.P.
Umeshchandra has called for an end to the political reservation for
Dalits in the electoral system.
He said that those elected through reserved constituencies have become
symbolic figures, he pointed out that these leaders rarely take up
Dalit issues and tend to toe the party line after being elected. "The
complete lack of a pro-Dalit political voice is proof that this system
has not worked," he said.
Delivering a lecture at a function organised by the Dalit Sangharsha
Samiti (Ambedkar Wada) to mark Ambedkar Jayanti, Mr. Umeshchandra said
that reservation for Dalit candidates in the electoral system has only
created slavish representatives who are subservient to political
parties with a casteist agenda. "These reservations were created for a
period of 10 years in 1951 but they have been periodically extended
through amendments to the constitution. They have outlived their use,"
he said.
According to Mr. Umeshchandra reservations should continue in jobs and
education but not in the political arena since it leads to
"ghettoisation" of Dalit politicians and sidelining of Dalit causes.
Alleging that political reservations are a way to deprive political
power to Dalits and Adivasis, he pointed out that anti-reservation
politicians such as Arun Shourie never talk against political
reservations.
He also pointed out powerful political blocks created by communities
such as the Lingayats, Vokalligas, Yadavs and Jats and said that the
political assertion of Dalits could grow only when seat reservations
are scrapped.
"In the political arena, the need is to restart the agitation for
separate electorates for Dalits and Adivasis as envisioned by B.R.
Ambedkar," he said.
Meanwhile, he also said that political reservations should be extended
to other communities such as Brahmins and Muslims as well as Other
Backward Castes for a short term period of 10 years.
Earlier, he also reminded the audience that Ambedkar was strongly
against adulatory and symbolic politics. "It does not matter if you
cannot celebrate Ambedkar Jayanti on April 14. Make sure you spread
his message," he said.
------------------------------------
----
INFORMATION OVERLOAD?
Get all ZESTCaste mails sent out in a span of 24 hours in a single mail. Subscribe to the daily digest version by sending a blank mail to ZESTMedia-digest@yahoogroups.com, OR, if you have a Yahoo! Id, change your settings at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTMedia/join/
PARTICIPATE:-
On this list you can share caste news, discuss caste issues and network with like-minded anti-caste people from across India and the world. Just write to zestcaste@yahoogroups.com
TELL FRIENDS TO SIGN UP:-
If you got this mail as a forward, subscribe to ZESTCaste by sending a blank mail to ZESTCaste-subscribe@yahoogroups.com OR, if you have a Yahoo! ID, by visiting http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/join/
Also have a look at our sister list, ZESTMedia: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTMedia/Yahoo! Groups Links
<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/
<*> Your email settings:
Individual Email | Traditional
<*> To change settings online go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/join
(Yahoo! ID required)
<*> To change settings via email:
ZESTCaste-digest@yahoogroups.com
ZESTCaste-fullfeatured@yahoogroups.com
<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
ZESTCaste-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
<*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
No comments:
Post a Comment