Opinion - Letters to the Editor   

Gujjar unrest

Tuesday's clashes between the Gujjar community and the police resulting in the death of 14 persons in Rajasthan are unfortunate. Politicians, who have sowed the seeds of division among the people through reservation, are squarely to blame for the violence. Even after 60 years of independence, they continue to promote caste for achieving narrow ends. It is no surprise that more and more sections now want SC, ST, and OBC status because it is the easiest way to get government jobs and admissions to educational institutions. The nation should take the agitation by Gujjars over the demand to include them among the Scheduled Tribes as a warning against the reservation system in its present form.

K.P. Ashok Kumar,
Thiruvananthapuram

* * *

Our politicians make tall promises during elections to garner votes. Once in power, they conveniently forget them. What is going on in Rajasthan is a classic case of such open deception. What was the need for the BJP to assure the Gujjars that they would be included in the ST list?

The killing of 12 persons in police firing was unfortunate, especially when the government was aware of the proposed agitation. When will our politicians learn that promising the moon during election time and forgetting it later make life difficult for all?

R.K. Kutty,
Bhopal

* * *

The violence is the manifestation of lopsided benefits of reservation. Gujjars who are currently treated as OBCs are facing stiff competition from other castes, particularly Jats. They therefore feel their inclusion among STs will help them reap the benefits of reservation better. Quota politics is proving to be dangerous.

K.S. Jayatheertha,
Bangalore

* * *

The violence has once again exposed the dangers of reservation-based politics. It is time to rethink reservation. It needs an honest and unbiased approach on the part of the stakeholders to create peace and harmony in society.

Akhil Kumar,
New Delhi

* * *

Perpetuation of caste-based reservation will encourage more communities to clamour for the `backward' label. Social unrest is the inevitable outcome of indefinite reservation. Besides displeasing those who are outside the purview of reservation, it enhances the feeling of insecurity among the beneficiaries who fear a decline in their share of the shrinking pie. The votaries of reservation need to agree on a time frame to end the system.

V.N. Mukundarajan,
Thiruvananthapuram

* * *

Fatima Bibi Sheik, wife of a pani puri hawker in Visakhapatnam who saved to enable her to pursue her studies, has become a software engineer and landed a job with Infosys. Does this have any lessons for those who advocate reservation for achieving their political ends? Fatima has proved that anyone irrespective of caste, creed or religion can succeed provided he or she is willing to work. Shame on the politicians who want to play the reservation card and divide society further!

Udita Agrawal,
New Delhi

* * *

The growing trend of police-citizen clashes is certainly not good for a healthy democracy. The police who display brute force in dealing with ordinary citizens become timid while dealing with political superiors. We still talk about the horrors of the Jalianwala Bagh massacre but tolerate, and even justify, the police action of opening fire on innocent citizens in different parts of the country. As a routine, governments order an inquiry or hand over the case to the CBI. Who is actually inept — the police or our politicians?

S. Prakash,
Mutharasanallur

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