This is an archived blog post from The Acorn.
If all those people who don’t qualify for reservations belonged to a different religion altogether they would actually be seen as a minority whose interests needed protection, including through reservations and exceptions. The little fact that they historically occupied the commanding heights of India means little today. Buddhists, Jains, Muslims and Christians who ruled large parts of India in the past are considered worthy of protection in the 21st century.
If all those people who don’t qualify for reservations belonged predominantly to one or more geographically adjoining states, they would actually be seen as a people who would deserve a special status under the constitution. And if some among them formed political outfits seeking self-determination, or worse took to violence to pursue their cause, the Indian prime minister himself would negotiate with them.
If the future of all those people who don’t qualify for reservations was threatened by another government policy (say building a dam), human-rights activists and non-governmental organisations would have created movements to fight for their rights and compensation. And prize-winning novelists and disciples would have actually sought to gather some fame off this cause.
Tells you a lot about the absurdity of reservations, special statuses and suchlike, eh!
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