Should Reservation be Determined by Caste or Religion?
Just as we saw the demand for publication of caste-based data subside, a 22-year-old youth belonging to the Patel community in Gujarat burst into the scene demanding that Patels be included in the OBC (Other Backward Classes) list. Hardik Patel created a stir by gathering lakhs of Patels for the cause and by issuing a firm warning to the government of a continuous agitation if demands were not met. Vice President Hamid Ansari, highlighting the plight of Muslims also demanded affirmative action for the community but stopped short of demanding any reservation. Is reservation the only tool for the marginalised, backward communities for empowerment? Is it more of a political path of expressing the plight and might of your community to be recognised as a homogenous votebank? What about doing away with reservations at the IITs and IIMs? Finally, should reservation be determined by caste or religion? Should social and economic empowerment be the only criteria?
