MANGALORE: Those who protest against reservation for backward castes in higher educational institutions have no problems with non-resident Indian quotas and payment seats. These categories are also against "merit", Surendra Rao, general secretary of Samudaya, said here on Sunday. He was participating in a seminar on untouchability, caste system and reservation organised by Samudaya.

Admaru Sripathi Acharya, a speaker at the seminar said fears that providing reservation in professional courses would churn out inefficient professionals were speculative. But urban students from upper caste families had access to better coaching and other facilities.

Reservation was necessary to provide backward caste students from rural areas equal opportunities for learning, he said.

He also blamed the media for giving excessive publicity to anti-reservation protests by students.

More than 70 per cent of media professionals were from upper castes. They did not reflect the aspirations of the lower castes, he said. In the discussion that followed, speakers emphasised that although reservation was essential, it was only a temporary solution. Creation of quality educational institutions in rural areas, and land reforms were essential, to solve the ills perpetrated by the caste system.

Amruth Someshwar, writer, said untouchability was not confined to caste. Gender-based untouchability also existed.

A restriction against women entering temples existed even today, he said.

To create awareness among students, Samudaya would conduct awareness camps in all colleges in the district from October 2, Mr. Rao said.

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