Memoranda for Submission to the Chief Ministers of the Two Telugu States.

Articles

Backwardness as a badge of power

Dt:  26/6/14

Backwardness as a badge of power

 

Dr T.H.Chowdary*

 

 

There was  a time  if any person or class of  persons were called backward great offence would be taken and the glories of that  persons’  family and his class would be recounted with  great pride.  But alas!  For the  past few decades, especially  since the  INC has been taken over   by a lady of foreign  origin,  backwardness has become a badge of  pride  and right  to privilege and power.   Muslims who ruled this country  in parts  for hundreds  of years,  who pride in saying  that they  brought culture to this  country  are saying that they are backward. Almost every caste  in Hinduism  is also stridently demanding  that it should be  classified as a backward  class   and  given  the  special privileges of reservation in government jobs, legislatures an  admission to educational  institutions and so on.  Backwardness has become so respectful that Brahmanis in Andhra Pradesh   represented to  Js. Puttappa Commission that their caste  be classified as backward .  When asked  in wonderment how, while everybody is denouncing Brahminism, Brahimns could claim to be  backward,  their answer was that all those among them who were “forward” had migrated to the  USA and  only the  backwards among  them are left in India and so  they are entitled  to be classified as a backward  caste.

 

2. Jats  in North India, Marathas in Maharashtra  and  Kammas, Reddys, Velamas and  Kapus   in Telugunadu  are sturdy, well to do  farming  classes. As land lords, they had   been wielding  cnsderbale power in   rural  areas and  in the past  few decades   they had  also taken to education and are coming abreast of the  traditionally educated Brahmins.  Now they are also  wanting to be classified  as backward.

 

3. Political parties are  very unwisely  yielding to this  shameful claim of backwardness.  In view of the coming  elections (late 2014)  to the state  Legislative Assembly, Maharashtra government  has decided to give  20% reservation for Marathas and 5% for Muslims . In UP,  

 

competition for Muslims  votes put the figure of reservations for Muslims from 5% to 18%.  In Telengana  the regional party   has promised  12% reservation for Muslims who until the  liberation of the  Hyderabad state from the Nizam,  while constituting  9% of the population had 90% of   government jobs.   Regional  parties in Tamilnadu  have classified more than 70% of the people as backward and put Muslims also in that category.  In West Bengal, the  regional   party TMC is also promising   between 15% to 18% to the  ever  increasing Muslim  population  in that  state.

 

4. Backwardness in India is thus growing  inspite of  12  Five Year Plans  to  get out of  poverty and backwardness. This is  despite  the  garibhi hatao and such  populist programs from Indira Gandhi days onwards and despite  claims of  great  development,  the UPA-II government  enacted the Food Security  law  putting 65%  of India’s population Below Poverty  Line (BPL)  to be given almost  free food grains.  Backwardness conceded  to every  caste and commitment  to give free to the poor  now become the dominant discourse of political parties and social  justice warriors. If continued  this will spell  ruin to this country. We should  hope that this unwise populist discourse and   demands will be put an end to  by the no nonsense Bharatiya  Pradhana Manthri  who should place  work  ethic over welfare  ethic;  self improvement instead of  dependency ;   education and  skills above  entitlement .

 

5. Poverty could never be eliminated absolutely; it could be ameliorated by well-designed measures like motivating the poor to  work, acquire skills in demand and have limited families.  Backwardness can likewise be left behind by education and help to enterprise. Preservation of the poor and  backward by promoting  dependency in them is no virtue.

 

END