http://www.centralchronicle.com/viewnews.asp?articleID=22216
Mishra panel rebukes govt for not deleting well-off castes from OBC list Saturday, December 19, 2009 Agencies New Delhi, Dec 19: In what may raise eyebrows of OBC satraps, the Rangnath Mishra Commission report has slammed the government's timidity to purge the OBC list of castes which have ceased to be "backward", a decennial exercise enshrined in the National Commission for Backward Classes Act. The failure to exclude castes from the OBC list has led to a sharp increase in number of OBCs — provocation for Mishra panel to slam "political considerations" and "vested interests in remaining backward" for distortion of the system. The purging of OBC list is a sensitive issue which saw the government plump for status quo when Mandal Commission completed 10 years in 2003 and the first exclusion exercise was to be taken up. Citing inclusion of Jats and Vokkaligas in OBC list as examples of "political compulsions", the report said "non-exclusion of ineligible" castes has hurt genuine backward groups. If the report's comments threaten to touch a faultline in backward politics, its recommendation for 8% subquota for minorities within 27% OBC quota is a testing proposition too. The panel has suggested the measure for increasing representation of minorities in government jobs. While minorities form part of the OBC list, it is argued that they are unable to compete with `general' OBCs, who are better equipped educationally to take advantage of quota. Of the 8% subquota, 6% is to be earmarked for Muslims in keeping with their share in minority population. An 8% subquota would shrink the playground for `general OBCs' to 19%, which may not be liked by existing beneficiaries. However, a strong reason why the subquota may still be accepted by OBC champions of "secular" hue is the fear that their opposition may send a wrong message among minorities. Minority affairs minister Salman Khursheed said he was working on the quota-within-quota proposal as is followed in Kerala, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. The move, however, is set to come under attack from BJP which has decided tomobilise opinion against Mishra panel, especially its recommendation that SC status be extended to dalit converts among minorities like Christians and Muslims. The recommendation, to be achieved through a constitutional amendment, is opposed by the RSS-BJP combine which feels that extending dalit status to religious converts would encourage conversions. The National Commission for SCs has also opposed the move. The intricate issue is likely to test the Centre which feels the demand from strong sections of Muslims and Christians is politically sensitive. The Mishrareport was tabled in Parliament. The commission recommended that owing to their poor socio-economic condition. minorities be given 15% quota in central and state jobs. However, it added that in case of difficulty in implementing the suggestion, the government should move for quota-within-OBC quota route. ------------------------------------ ---- INFORMATION OVERLOAD? Get all ZESTCaste mails sent out in a span of 24 hours in a single mail. Subscribe to the daily digest version by sending a blank mail to [email protected], OR, if you have a Yahoo! Id, change your settings at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTMedia/join/ PARTICIPATE:- On this list you can share caste news, discuss caste issues and network with like-minded anti-caste people from across India and the world. Just write to [email protected] TELL FRIENDS TO SIGN UP:- If you got this mail as a forward, subscribe to ZESTCaste by sending a blank mail to [email protected] OR, if you have a Yahoo! ID, by visiting http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/join/ Also have a look at our sister list, ZESTMedia: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTMedia/Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: [email protected] [email protected] <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [email protected] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
