For today's generation, "Reservation" seems to be an overrated and overtly abused and misused term. All the age old controversial and debatable dialogues and emotions sure have spurt up from the volcanic tubes like lava (yet again) when dear Prakash Jha announced his movie AARAKSHAN. I haven't seen the movie yet, but from the news (items); movie reviews and its trailers with strong dialogues on TV.. I have somehow gathered some knowledge of the film and its story.. Anyhow not restricting myself with the film, here is what I as an Indian feel about the issue....
If you go back to into the history of the forgotten, the divide of high class and low class seems to have been arbitrarily designated with the kind of "occupation" a class/family was into... Back then, most people focused on doing what their Dad's did for a living... 'coz that is how a prince became a King...(always). Once a sort of categorization began to be quite evident, vertical hierarchy which we today call as castes/class came into strong existence...and the people seemed to agree not to cross over each other in profession. (Except for those who had a futuristic mindset, exceptionally).
For centuries together this went on and on and "reservation" ran in the background with the people without the people noticing it. Slowly the background became so strong, (with the help of rulers who believed in Divide and Rule way before the English, unconsciously) that it gave rise to a black era of "untouchability". With little access to and supply of better lifestyle which includes education, recreation, worship etc; came the ubiquitous and absurd law of "100% reservation" for higher class people. The lower class/caste people were barred even for entering the premises of these "holy and high class" places, leave alone acquiring/utilizing the opportunity for better lifestyle. Ironically the Harijans are also called "Children of God" and yet treated as out-castes!!!
The English who then ruled India at this point , identified this weakness of the country and used it as a weapon against Indian Freedom struggle, further widening the gap and scaring the country and its people. It was only at the last stages of the freedom struggle that the English thought they need to re-call this weapon together with the help of Indian leaders with futuristic view points. They thought that if they did not re-call it, there might be a catastrophe waiting to happen. They did not want to scar its history and dignity and let the world say "look what you have done to this lovely country". This brought in the idea of reservation for lower and neglected class of the society, and help them find the lost glory of LIFE. Please note this is not 100% reservation..it is thus not a REVENGE like many anti reservation people quote it as....................
This is just one side of the story, watch this space for the other side of the story. COMING SOON...
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