Dinesh Kamath's Editorial 'Time has come to remove caste-based reservation system' that was published in Newsband

Time has come to remove caste-based reservation system

The Patel reservation agitation in support of a separate reservation quota for it is drawing many youth to the movement, and to its leader Hardik Patel, who launched the Akhil Bharatiya Patel Navnirman Sena. Hardik Patel is thus taking a big gamble. Instead of being able to pressurize the BJP government in Gujarat to back their demand, the Patels could now find themselves further alienated from the power centres. The new Sena would have to adopt an all-or-nothing political strategy while taking on the BJP.

Patels account for more than 10 per cent of Gujarat’s population. It appears that political power is what Hardik Patel is after. He has taken a big risk of opposing BJP and supporting Nitish Kumar in Bihar.

Hardik Patel could be just another politician who is finding a way to enter the Indian Political Arena and form another party on the basis of communalism. If he is fighting for Patels only then why he is supporting anti-Modi powers? There is no need for any separate party to be formed on the basis of community only. One can see a fire of casteism in this agitation. If one has to make demand for reservation then it must be for all youth of Gujarat, who are economically weak and belong to poorest families. Reservation should be provided on economic basis. Caste based reservation doesn’t provide quality selection.

Hardik Patel is clever. First of all he checked the pulse of the people using the reservation agenda. Depending upon the response from the people he transformed his social movement to political outfit. His ultimate aim was to become the leader of the political party. That's why he used his social movement for his gateway to politics. Given the style of politics that is practised in India it cannot be that difficult for Hardik. All he has to do is keep the Patel agitation alive. Hardik Patel not only extended his support to Sri Nitish Kumar but also declared that Shiv Sena's Bal Thackeray was his hero.

The question is what Hardik Patel is fighting for - removal of reservation system, or reservation for Patel under OBC or simply to gain popularity to become a politician representing his Patel community? However, such fights can only create far more serious problems like increased marginalization of General category which is shrinking with every such agitation by caste based communities. Pushed to the wall the General category will sooner or later pose much greater challenge to the government than all the caste based communities put together which the government should try to avoid at all cost. Now the time has come to remove caste based reservation system. Economic status should be the only criteria to form the basis for reservation irrespective of their caste or community affiliation.