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2006 Indian anti-reservation protests

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Candles aligned to write "No Quotas", street of Delhi. May 2006

The Anti-reservation protests, 2006 currently taking place all over India, are in opposition to the 93rd Constitutional Amendment passed in the Parliament of India, which 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.

In the year 2005, based on the recommendations of an independent political panel[citation needed], the Union government of India (the multiparty coalition United Progressive Alliance led by the Congress Party, under the Prime Ministership of Dr. Manmohan Singh) proposed to reserve 27% of seats in the the All India Institute of Medical Studies (AIIMS), Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs), and other central institutions of higher education, for the Other Backward Classes (OBCs) in order to help them gain higher levels of representation in these institutions. This move is considered to discriminate on the basis of caste and has led to massive anti-reservation protests throughout India.

Historical background

Main Article: Reservation in India

The Hindu religion is divided into many endogamous groups (castes) and sub-groups (sub-castes) as a result of centuries of practicing a form of social hierarchy called the caste system. This resulted in oppression of the so-called lower castes and out-castes by the upper castes. After gaining Independence, a method for undoing the wrongs that had been done to these parts of the population for centuries was widely thought to be needed. B. R. Ambedkar, one of the framers of the Indian constitution, introduced provisions for reservations for the oppressed classes in government-run institutions in the 1950s. For this purpose, the government categorised them into three groups - the Scheduled Tribes (STs), Scheduled Castes (SCs), and Other Backward Classes (OBCs).

Though originally only supposed to last for ten years, the Indian quota system has continued to this day, with 22.5% of the seats in higher education institutes currently set-aside for SCs and STs. According to the 2001 census, Hindu SCs represent 16.2%, the STs account for 8.2% of the total population of India [1]. Exact figures of OBCs are not collected in the census; the 1980 Mandal Commission pegs it at 54% of the population. Others have disputed this figure by estimating it to be 36% of the population. [2]

In 1989, then Prime Minister Vishwanath Pratap Singh accepted and implemented the proposals of the Mandal Commission, which recommended reservations for minority communities in private unaided institutions as well as high-end government jobs. It also laid stress on including the OBCs in the purview of reservations.

Many Indian states implemented the OBC reservations in their higher educational institutions, which led to massive protests by those belonging to ‘unreserved’ category and opposed to the quota system. It must however, be noted that a select few higher educational institutions - the IITs, IIMs, AIIMS, etc. - were kept out of the purview of the OBC reservations till now.

Current protests

Peaceful demonstration against reservation, fluttering the national flag

In 2006, the UPA government promised to implement 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] This move led to opposition from the student community, as the proposal, if implemented, would 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).

Events

The students formed the group 'Youth for Equality' and demanded that the government roll back on its decision to grant more reservations through peaceful protests. In a controversial 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.[4] The nationwide strike launched by medical students protesting against the lathi-charge, was later joined by resident doctors from all over India, thus crippling the health infrastructure of a number of cities.[5][6]

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. Many states have invoked the Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) and given notices to the doctors to return to work, failing which legal action would be taken against them. The government has also put on alert 6,000 men from Rapid Action Force to take care of any untoward incident. However, in most places the protesters remain defiant despite ESMA.

Meanwhile, the National Knowledge Commission requested the government to maintain 'status-quo' on the issue until alternative policies to reservation were explored.[7] 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.[8]

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 hunger strike in AIIMS (Delhi) which, as of 27 May has entered into its fourteenth day.[9]

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Faculty of PGIMER, Chandigarh and other medical institutions joins students in anti-reservation rally

In Mumbai, IIT Bombay students went on a "24-hour chain hunger strike" on May 20, 2006. IIT Kanpur students with medical college students organized a cycle rally against reservation. About 100 students of PGIMER, 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 big human chain formation through the M.G. Road. Protest marches were organised on April 28, May 14, and May 20 in Chandigarh. A silent Human Chain formation on MG road with candle light on May 21. In Chandigarh [10] the students across 3 medical colleges are on strike since 19th of May including PGIMER chandigarh, Government Medical College Sector 16 and GMC sector 32. The PGI is also coordinating the protests with the active participation of the Punjab engineering college and Punjab university.

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]

Candle light march on the streets of Chandigarh. 18th May, 2006

Several students at the IIT Guwahati have been boycotting classes to protest against the government proposal.[12]

In Lucknow, doctors at the Sanjay Gandhi Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences went on strike. Students of King George's Medical University have been wearing black badges as a gesture of solidarity with the anti-reservation strike.[6]

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.[6]. In Ajmer, seven doctors started a hunger strike opposing the quota, while resident doctors began an indefinite strike from work at the Nehru hospital.

In Varanasi, resident and junior doctors of Sir Sunderlal Hospital at the Banaras Hindu University campus have been on a relay hunger-strike.

In Chennai, more than a hundred students from IIT Madras and city medical colleges protested in front of the government guesthouse in Chepauk [13]

After the government reaffirmed its commitment to implementing reservations, the protesters called for a "Civil disobedience movement".[14] Their protests were also supported by the traders in Delhi, who have 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.[14] 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.[15] A similar rally was organised in Kolkata, though in a smaller scale.

Demands by the anti-reservation students

The following are the demands made by the 'Youth for Equality', the student body leading the anti-reservation protests: [16]

  • Roll back of the proposed hike in reservations
  • Setting up of an academic, non-political panel of experts to review the existing reservation policy and explore alternate forms of affirmative action
  • Vacant positions in reserved government jobs to be thrown open for other eligible candidates
  • No action to be taken against the protestors
  • A white paper issued on the reservation policy and a concrete statement on the issue by the Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh

The students have maintained that they are not opposed to reservations for economically backward members of society, as against reservations on the basis of caste, which they claim is a political move by the government to draw upon the large OBC 'vote-bank'.[citation needed]

The GoM (Group of Ministers) set up by the government to review the proposal considering the students’ demands, proposed a move wherein reservations would be implemented in phases, only after the number of seats in the concerned institutions were increased. The President of India as well as the Prime Minister appealed to the students to call off their strike, insisting that interests of all sections of the population would be taken care of. The protestors, however refused, saying that the proposed increase in seats would require additional infrastructure and faculty, which were already suffering from shortfalls.[17][18][19]

Political Opinion on the issue

The 93rd Constitutional Amendment was passed unanimously in the Lok Sabha except for two abstaining members.[3] The Bharatiya Janata Party-led Opposition had initially labeled the move as "dangerous and divisive",[20] though it later expressed its acceptance of the quota system.[21]

The Left parties, while also supporting reservations, called for excluding the 'creamy layer' from availing of its benefits.[22] The 'creamy layer' is used in reference to members of economically stable population belonging to any caste.

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, whom some have claimed to be chauvinists.[23]

Media bias

The Indian media has given wide coverage to the protest against reservation. Critics of this situation claim[24] that there is an internal media bias against the move to implement reservations, leading to the media "helping" the protesters by exaggerating the intensity and scale of the protests, and asking selective questions to the protestors in order to present a biased point of view.[25] This claim can be refuted as some columnists have come forward against anti-reservation protests. They remain critical of the government's policy though.[26] Coverage was also given to pro-reservation demonstrations but not at the scale ot which anti reservation movement was reported mainly because most of the pro-reservation demonstrations were politically organised and/or less in strength. [27]

See also

References

  1. ^ SCs and STs in Census
  2. ^ 36% population is OBC, not 52%
  3. ^ a b 93rd Constitutional Amendment
  4. ^ Senior Inspector justifies lathi-charge
  5. ^ Anti-quota protests spread
  6. ^ a b c Nationwide anti-quota stir continues
  7. ^ Knowledge panel for status quo on quota
  8. ^ Two members quit the Knowledge Commission
  9. ^ "Doc's hunger strike enters 10th day". cnn ibn, Global Broadcast News. 23 May 2006. Retrieved 2006-05-27.
  10. ^ [1]
  11. ^ IIT-Roorkee students oppose reservation
  12. ^ OBC quota: IIT Guwahati students boycott classes
  13. ^ Protests erupt in Chennai’s streets Arun Ram
  14. ^ a b Medicos launch 'civil disobedience' campaign against quotas
  15. ^ "Medicos snub govt, say strike will continue". cnn ibn, Clobal Broadcast News. 27 May, 2006. Retrieved 2006-05-27. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= and |date= (help)
  16. ^ Youth for Equality
  17. ^ State of Medical Institutions
  18. ^ Faculty shortfall in IITs and IIMs
  19. ^ Faculty shortage in AIIMS
  20. ^ Reservation in IIT, IIMs dangerous: BJP on ExpressIndia.com.
  21. ^ "Opposition speaks in two voices" The Telegraph 24 May, 2006.
  22. ^ Left Parties Demand Creamy Layer Concept in OBC quota
  23. ^ Pro-reservation march in Chennai
  24. ^ Ninan, S (21 May, 2006). "Taking sides". The Hindu. Retrieved 2006-05-27. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  25. ^ ""What more do the upper castes want?"". The Rediff Interview/Udit Raj, Chairman, SC/ST Federation. Rediff.com. 16 May, 2006. Retrieved 2006-05-27. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  26. ^ Bhatia, S (27 May, 2006). "The middle class quota con". DNA Sunday. Diligent Media Corporation Ltd. Retrieved 2006-05-27. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  27. ^ Bhatia, R (24 May, 2006). "Quota policy triggers diet plan". DNA Mumbai. Diligent Media Corporation Ltd. Retrieved 2006-05-27. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
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