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Mandal Commision At 25: Silver Jubilee Of Bahujan Politics

Press Release By Solidarity Youth Movement

10 March, 2016
Countercurrents.org

Reservation is one of the most misconstrued topics discussed in the country. For millenniums, majority of the country was exploited and oppressed by the savarna communities. The backward class of the society was deprived of all privileges and was denied even the basic rights. Reservation system was propounded to share the power and resource of the country befitting the idea of democratic nation. But, the hegemony and their media intentionally scathed arbitrarily the idea of reservation. They tarnished it as a generosity of the dominant class or an employment guarantee scheme. At best, reservation was seen as an affirmative action than a power sharing system.

Thanks to tremendous efforts of Dr. BR Ambedkar -the patron social democracy of India, the constitution carried the provisions to appoint a commission to review the social condition of the backward class of the nation and prescribed reservation for scheduled castes and scheduled tribes. However, an important demand by Ambedkar was not conceded by Constituent Assembly. His demand was to appoint every ten years a commission to assess the social status of the backward class.

Every government came into power was reluctant to appoint a commission to review the social condition of backward class people. After 58 years of independence, only two commissions have been appointed so far in the regard. Kaka Kalelkar commission report was first of this. The commission report which recommended for caste-wise enumeration, fair representation of backward class in legislatures, government service and education were rejected.

Later, taking cue from the struggles of OBC leaders like that of Kanshiram, Janata Party government in 1979 appointed Mandal Commission. In the year 1989 the Mandal Commission was report was implemented. Soon after, the country witnessed unprecedented scale of protest against the government’s decision. Sanghparivar which is ideologically against the reservation system felt hurt with the government’s decision. In a counter movement they raised Mandir Movement to divert the attention of the majority from Mandal to Ayodhya. They were, to an extent, successful in misdirecting the nation that more than share in power and opportunities in mainstream life, Mandir and Masjid are important. They succeeded in making ground for rampant communal violence and reaping benefits through. It is the brief history of BJP’s swearing into power in 2014.

Since its first day of the NDA government, Sanghparivar and its factions began to unleash unprecedented sort of atrocities against dalits and religious minorities. Persecutions, violent attacks and riots were instigated in different parts of the country. This in turn made the oppressed communities more resolute. They realized the weakness and decided to speak up to the power. The rigor and sharpness the country witness in these days are proof of this realization.

It is in this backdrop, Solidarity Youth Movement organized a campaign titled ‘India will outlive the Sangh’.

A seminar organised in this regard carried title, Mandal Commission @25: quarter century of Bahujan Politics. It was held on 6th February 2016 at Kozhikode. Thinker and dalit activist Professor Kancha Ilaiya inaugurated the seminar. He called for the joint efforts to ensure the representation of all the communities in education, job and power. Mandal Commission report succeeded in empowering dalits, muslims, adivasis and other backward class who were seen as enemies of the state. It created a political space for the OBCs who were absent in the national conscience. RSS could win the nation through Mandir movement staged to counter Mandal movement. In Modi’s reign too Savarna fascists are deciding the matters. When 95% of the children of Savarna people are studying in English medium schools, the lower class are denied English education. When the British made English the official language Muslims protested and quit their jobs in English government. Meanwhile, the Savarna people learned English and preferred to stick on with the British and appeased them. To resist the Savarna ideology solidarity between Muslims, dalits, adivasis and other backward communities are inevitable, Kanch Ilaiya said.

In his presidential address, Solidarity State president said, the Mandal commission signifies the awareness of the backward class who are majority of the country.

Dr. Fasal Gafoor, state president of Muslim Education Society said that reservation policies are to be made more efficient in the country. Reservation should be there for all backward communities proportionate to the population size. For this caste enumeration report is to be released. Like adopted in Bihar and Uttarpradesh reservation inside the reservation communities, are needed for extreme backward communities of the society, he said.

Prominent dalit thinker KK Kochu said that the backward class community could have a place in the political space after the partial implementation of Mandal Commission Report.

In the programme, leaders of all parties hold their hands together in a show of solidarity.

Viswakarma state president PA Kuttapan, BSP State President Gafur Puthupady, veteran journalist NP Chekkuty, Dravida Class United Front state president Anuraj Tirumeni, Welfare party state president Hameed Vaniyambalam, Dalit Employees and Pensions Association state president Manikandan and others talked. Solidarity state general secretary Sadiq Uliyil welcomed all and Kozhikode district president KC Anwar paid the vote of thanks.

The book, Politics of Beef, edited by I Gopinath was released by Prof. Kancha Ilaiya by handing over to KK Kochu.



 



 

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