Sharada Prasad

Apartheid in India

Sir,

You might be aware of the protests that are taking place in Indian capital against the reservation quota. Today, in Delhi hundreds of students from premier medical institutes protested the introduction of this bill. HRD minister Arjun Singh remained deaf. Students, who were protesting peacefully, were beaten by police. I want “The Economist” to comment on the kind of democracy India has. I want to understand whether we really have a fair democracy here, in India. I want you to help us to understand how a democracy like India should work. Your opinion may not change circumstances in India, but it will definitely make the world understand how apartheid of a different flavour is practised in India.

Journalism in India is polarised. Only a true ‘neutral’ magazine like ‘The Economist’ can guide us, show us the light. Let the world know the kind of apartheid Indian government is following ever since the inception of India’s constitution. Let the world know about the agony of millions of people who are deprived of their right to earn a good education. Sir, Indian politicians stoop to any level to convert communities into vote banks. Reservation is the best example. It is Indian government which has planned a timed death of our nation, not the terrorists from Pakistan.

Sir, let the world know that students in the world’s largest democarcy need to get on to the streets and beg the government to allow them to earn a good education based on merit.

Thanks and Regards,
CSP,
#305, Upstairs,
19th Main, MC Layout,
Vijayanagar,
Bangalore – 560040
Karnataka,
INDIA
Cell: +91 99860 21301

Sometimes we must be hurt in order to grow,
Sometimes we must fail in order to know,
Sometimes we must lose in order to gain
Because some lessons in life are best learned through pain

Today at around 2:15pm I came to know that Kannada Thespian Dr.Rajkumar died of a heart attack. I was not surprised. He was old, had had few attacks earlier. So this news was not unexpected.

Anticipating riots, I left office immediately. On my way home I listened to the songs aired by Akashavani. His voice touched my heart. I could feel the loss. Death of Dr.Raj is a great loss indeed. He has been an accomplished artist who maintained highest level of dignity till his death. He never ventured into politics. He is a versatile actor who has played almost every kind of role and excelled in all.

I would call him the light of Kannada film industry – not because I worship him nor because I am a big fan of Dr.Raj, but because he donated his eyes.

He has re-lived through those 2 eyes. Now 2 other people can see this world because of this donation. People may call it another gimmick to polarize Kannada film industry towards his sons, but he has done a great job.

I am planning to organize an eye donation awareness camp on May 10th. Hope Dr.Raj’s gesture helps us getting more pledgers…

India, a country with 5000 years of history, won its freedom almost 60 years back. 60 years is quite a long time indeed. India embraced constitution with great fervour. Democracy became our new religion. India became a self-proclaimed secular country. In pretext of helping backward classes, a demon was made to enter the pages of India constitution. It is the notorious ‘Reservation’ concept.

We all believe in our talent, our skills and our abilities to accomplish things. But it is a painful feeling to see someone with far lesser abilities securing admissions in premium institutes and other arenas based on one’s caste. What can be more infuriating, frustrating and agonizing than this? I agree that oppressed classes should be helped. But to what extent? In 60 years many nations have re-written history (India has also done so but in a pathetic manner). In our country, the privilege of reservation is being enjoyed as a legacy. People are not trying to utilize it as a stepping stone to success but are using it as a trump card to trample the talented and worthy category of the society.

Economic health of a family is a major hindrance in education. That should be made as a criteria to offer free seats and scholarships. I feel terrible when I see someone who could not secure a seat because of his financial limitations (even though he had scored better). We see students with 25000+ rank in CET (an entrance test for professional courses in Karnataka) getting free seats in good colleges only because of their caste. Many of my own classmates’ parents earn handsome salaries, have occupied high offices. Their children come to college in sedans but get their calculator, drafter, books etc… free of cost, all in the name of their caste. These people are not only enjoying what they don’t deserve but also snatching the opportunities from the truly deserved categories. Government is playing a major role in stoking this fire.

I also want to share a personal observation. We do not realize the value of something when we have not put any effort to earn it. I know the value of my education, value of many things I own because I have earned them. My degree was not a gift from the government. But these over-privileged people have started taking things for granted. Many students don’t try to utilize the golden opportunity that has been knocking their door ever since they are born (you are tagged to a particular caste the moment you are born). They end up burning it to ashes. Parents get into good government jobs based on their caste; send their children to very good colleges. Children somehow struggle to get a degree, but fail to get a government job. Reason is, many of these don’t like government jobs (who wants to sit under a leaky roof when u can work in great offices) and hence struggle to get into private companies. Private companies are not charitable institutions to hire incompetent people based on caste. Result? Frustration. These people go through the same emotion as that of a student of non-privileged class trying to get into a good college based on merit. Now these frustrated people want reservations in private sector. Government cannot push for it. But it can definitely increase the limit of reservation in its own institutions like IITs and IIMs. India is a true secular nation.

Reservation has forced talented people to move out of India in search of a more equitable society. An equitable society is not based on gender, caste, disability, sexual orientation etc… A true secular nation will never have privileges dedicated to certain section of the society. If someone has talent, let one earn and win everything on this earth. Government may enforce reservation in IITs and IIMs. But these people may not always cope up with the programs and may not come out of the programs as successful engineers or entrepreneurs.

I vehemently condemn the government’s move to introduce reservation and keep us divided under our bitter feelings for these castes/people. UPA is the only winner in the game. Both OBCs and other castes (including non-privileged castes) are at the losing end as this move will surely wound India deeper than our perception.

Note: All that is mentioned here in this write-up is my personal opinion. I have not referred to any magazine nor any book for any statistics. I refer to people who are not covered under reservation as non-privileged. They are the true warriors in the society of India.

I am worried… a serious negative thought has started to suck my energy… my pollyannaish attitude is made to bear the brunt. My thoughts have started grappling with one another… I don’t know when this chicanery was planned… My much coveted MBA is in jeopardy

I am dismayed by my mock test results. I get distracted easily. My neighbourhood is not conducive for studies, some or the other kind of noise distracts me and makes me stumble and fall on my face

I rummage through my mind to find a single thought that would pull me from this abysmal situation… one helping hand to lead me from darkness to light… What happens if I don’t score 700 in GMAT? Will I be stifling my dreams, dream of starting a chain of schools in the rural area and my dream of collaborating NGOs (Mukta), to death?

Only time will tell – Only 24 days to go. May 2nd 9:00AM – deadend beckons – I don’t know from where I will derive all the confidence…

I read magazines such as Outlook, Week or India Today for the adverts they carry. Politics never interested me till I got introduced to ‘The Economist’. Santosh suggested to adopt reading such magazines, an essential step towards building a better vocabulary.

I visited the website – www.economist.com – the subscription price was appalling. I was forced to be content with the online non-premium material. Sapient never had a library – forget about getting any magazines there.

When I joined Symphony services, I could lay my hands on print edition of ‘The Economist’. I was not impressed by its outlook. But I started reading every issue religiously. Initial readings never made any meaning. Global politics and economy bemused me, a total illiterate when it comes to politics.

Wikipedia and Microsoft Encarta helped me in recognising issues, events, people and places. I started getting to know better about our neighbours, issues with Isreal and other middle east countries. I also got to know even the most developed countries such as US, UK and other European Countries are fraught with their own problems.

I was introduced to a whole new world – countries with strongest democracy, countries with largest democracies, countries with anarchy and what not. I never knew much about the issues with Iraq, US’ interference, Japan’s politics, Hamas, China’s unfettered growth, Latin America’s problems, Nepal’s monarchy disguised as democrary, abject poverty of African countries etc…

Now the mirky water has started to settle down. ‘The Economist’ is the epitome of journalism. I loved the way it stoked the interest in me and got me addicted to it. I borrowed every available issue, went through relevant surveys, special reports etc. But now I started facing another issue – I could not borrow latest issues. Those would be lent after 3-4 weeks. I was pretty disappointed.

Finally I decided to subscribe Economist – the same appalling figure seemed like a good bargain.

Now I have access to all the premium content. I received my first print edition on 1st April, yesterday. I never knew that this Unknown World is so enchanting as to mesmerise the reader with some printed words.