The Hindu : Narendran panel report may be a poll issue

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Feb 26, 2004

Kerala

Kerala

Narendran panel report may be a poll issue

By K. Venkiteswaran

KOCHI, FEB. 25. In the run-up to the Lok Sabha elections, one issue that is being tossed around at least in interested quarters is the Narendran Commission report, which has reportedly highlighted the inadequacy of representation for the Other Backward Communities in Government jobs. Though the State Cabinet discussed the report, decided to appoint a sub- committee and to place it for discussion in the State Assembly, the constituents of the ruling front are divided about it.

The Commission noted that in the case of the group of 68 communities taken as Other Backward Classes for the purpose of reservation, there is a special phenomenon in that the group as a whole occupy posts substantially in excess of the reservation quota. However, this position is not typical of all the 68 communities. Many of them have poor or no representation in the different categories of posts. But the extent of inadequacy cannot be quantified because there is no separate quota for each of these communities. Nor is any other benchmark - like the population of every one of the 68 communities - is available in order to assess how fair or unfair the position of each one is.

However, the Commission's report is of the view that there should have been a more fair distribution of posts within this group, without any net addition to the number and percentage of posts held by the group in total. "As long as the present condition prevails, some of these 68 communities are likely to continue with poor representation while others will have adequate (some of them, more than adequate) representation," the report said.

According to sources, the Commission report points out that there is a deficiency of 18,525 posts for the Backward Communities in the jobs under the reservation quota in the State. These are in the various Government departments, public sector undertakings, the universities and in the local self-government institutions. The representation for the Muslim community is the lowest in the State, the report said.

The Commission conducted a detailed study regarding the reservation percentage for the backward communities and found that the reduction in recruitment in Government jobs under reservation is in the range of : Muslims (7,383), Latin/Anglo Indian (4,370), Nadar (2,614), Converted Christians (2,290), Dheevara (1,256), OBC (460), Viswakarma (147) and Ezhava (5).

The 110-page report mentioned that the Backward Communities would not get their "deserving due" in Government jobs if communal reservation is not followed and even if the present system is continued, the various categories would not get legitimate representation.

However, it is learnt that the Commission report has not suggested any measures like special recruitment or freezing of jobs for the other sections so as to ensure "due representation" for the backward communities. The forward communities and those organisations championing their cause have already come out against the findings of the Commission stating that economic criterion should be applied while reserving jobs in the Government. Some of the community members enjoying reservation benefits have also been exempted after the `creamy layer' norms were started applying to reservation.

However, the present UDF leadership would rather be happy if the Commission report is not raked up at the hustings. The Chief Minister, A. K. Antony, is already under fire for his remarks on the religious minorities, which are likely to be capitalised by the Opposition. The Nair Service Society, which has expressed its strong objection to the Commission report,

though for outward purposes is maintaining an "equidistant policy" to both the fronts; it cannot be sidelined by the UDF.

During the internal squabbling in the Congress, the NSS general secretary,

P. K. Narayanan Panicker, had come to the rescue of the Chief Minister more than one time. The Chief Minister is between the devil and the deep sea as far as the Commission report is concerned since he would have to do a lot of tightrope walking if he wants to accommodate the various communal and religious interests in the ruling front and not to alienate the minorities or to earn the wrath of the forward communities.

But one thing that is sure now is that the Commission report would continue to be discussed and `used' by various interest groups according to their political leanings in the coming days.

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