The Hindu : Opinion / Letters to the Editor : Curse indeed

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Monday, Aug 25, 2008
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Opinion - Letters to the Editor

Curse indeed

The Supreme Court was right in deprecating the practice of the ‘upper’ castes denigrating the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Aug. 20). It aptly pointed out that the caste system is a curse on our country and the sooner it is destroyed, the better. But is it possible to eliminate the caste system when the state itself provides caste-based reservation in education and employment? As long as the caste and religion column remain in government records, we will not be able to keep our country united. Economic reservation, irrespective of caste, is the only way to eliminate the caste system.

Jalaja Soman,

Visakhapatnam

The Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, is indeed a salutary legislative measure aimed at eliminating the caste system in our country. But no law or court verdict can change the mindset of the people. In fact, the state itself divides the people by continuing to provide caste-based reservation. The demand to be recognised as a backward caste, or get the SC and the ST status is only increasing.

It is time the government thought of the economic criterion for reservation, since the present reservation policy contains the seeds of violent conflicts.

J.P. Kammanghat,

Malappuram

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