Long long time ago, when I - and others of my age- used to be kids ,we were supposed to answer tricky puzzles to earn elderly respect. Here is such nostalgic one: "You are standing on a platform and your goal is to cross the platform. Problem is platform has this weird but funny characteristic, you take one step forward and you find yourself two steps back the next moment. So, how do you get to the other end. " While I used to wonder what's the point of having such a 'feature', wiser kids would turn their back and start walking in opposite direction and voila! - no platform is too long for those who can run backwards. Since I never had these stunt-man like ability to run backwards or to answer uncanny puzzles, all I could do is -witness the platform moving away from me with each forward step.
I know, I know, you'll be furious now, furious over my tendency to drift towards my tragic past and present with each story; but idea of this article is not to earn any more sympathizers. On the contrary, I'm piqued over a latest "repeat of live-show" that has been played on "prime time" by Indian politicians over half of the century. Plot is same - pick a community that has good number of potential voters & declare them "socially backward" or even better promise to declare them backward and rule for next five years. This time around though the audience has taken the hot-seat giving a true reality cinema touch. Everyone crying out loud - " we are more backwards than them". Best part is, people have added new 'action' flavor to the show by stopping running trains, burning buses. Hail democracy!
Almost 6 decades ago, when our leaders were facing mountainous task of framing a secular, all inclusive constitution - they were well aware of centuries old customs that had tagged people as king or slave at birth. Generations had suffered and were still suffering, living like animals, exploited by "noble men", for one had no choice to choose parents. Thus came the idea of reservation. Giving the downtrodden a chance to recover from an unrecoverable past,poverty and slave mentality. Though today we can argue otherwise, intentions were noble and a time frame was set to review/revoke the provision.
Years, decades passed away and so did the leaders who initially framed the idea. Our bright new crop of leaders, having gotten used to comfy ambassdor cars, turned reservation into a poll winning tool. Best part is no body could've argued otherwise or he/she would be termed anti-poor, anti-social, anti-nation, anti-this and anti-that. Result : today we see IAS son of IAS father and grandson of an IAS grandpa, IAS grand-ma, IAS mama-mami, IAS chacha-chachi who all are socially backward living in posh government 'kothis' being served their dinner , and chaffered in ac-cars by privileged class.
New trends set in, new definitions emerged - a leader is powerful if she can fetch 'backward' status for her community. A community is 'strong' only if it can force its way to 'backwardness'. Being backward is our right and we are nation of Gandhi, we know how to 'peacefully' fight for our rights. People peacefully burn the buses and peacefully block the train routes. Finally a caring governments listens to the "Gandhian Idea" and everyone celebrates the new found 'backward' status. New heroes are born and praised setting new examples.
Backwardness is the buzzword. If Gurjars can do it, then so can Jats. In this race for backwardness only fittest can survive, and which is a fitter race than Jats - the 'sword' people. Men of Honor, I mean literally. If you don't believe me check honor killing statistics. Jats've always fought for justice and rightful. And this time it's no different. Being backward is right of every Indian, If India needs to progress, need to become the new super power, all Indians must be backwards. Jats' have realized this and would lead from the front now on. So future is calling everyone, what are we waiting for. Lets turn around, closes our eyes and run backwards.. Ab Dilli Door Nahin..
[To all Jat bandhus - plz don't get agitated, idea is not to criticize a caste or community, but a horrible trend. Though I don' believe in caste/creed divide, just to calm you down - I'm born Jat, and this piece is written out of frustration. if you want to show strength, plz fight against reservation, fight for growth, not for backwardness]
I know, I know, you'll be furious now, furious over my tendency to drift towards my tragic past and present with each story; but idea of this article is not to earn any more sympathizers. On the contrary, I'm piqued over a latest "repeat of live-show" that has been played on "prime time" by Indian politicians over half of the century. Plot is same - pick a community that has good number of potential voters & declare them "socially backward" or even better promise to declare them backward and rule for next five years. This time around though the audience has taken the hot-seat giving a true reality cinema touch. Everyone crying out loud - " we are more backwards than them". Best part is, people have added new 'action' flavor to the show by stopping running trains, burning buses. Hail democracy!
Almost 6 decades ago, when our leaders were facing mountainous task of framing a secular, all inclusive constitution - they were well aware of centuries old customs that had tagged people as king or slave at birth. Generations had suffered and were still suffering, living like animals, exploited by "noble men", for one had no choice to choose parents. Thus came the idea of reservation. Giving the downtrodden a chance to recover from an unrecoverable past,poverty and slave mentality. Though today we can argue otherwise, intentions were noble and a time frame was set to review/revoke the provision.
Years, decades passed away and so did the leaders who initially framed the idea. Our bright new crop of leaders, having gotten used to comfy ambassdor cars, turned reservation into a poll winning tool. Best part is no body could've argued otherwise or he/she would be termed anti-poor, anti-social, anti-nation, anti-this and anti-that. Result : today we see IAS son of IAS father and grandson of an IAS grandpa, IAS grand-ma, IAS mama-mami, IAS chacha-chachi who all are socially backward living in posh government 'kothis' being served their dinner , and chaffered in ac-cars by privileged class.
New trends set in, new definitions emerged - a leader is powerful if she can fetch 'backward' status for her community. A community is 'strong' only if it can force its way to 'backwardness'. Being backward is our right and we are nation of Gandhi, we know how to 'peacefully' fight for our rights. People peacefully burn the buses and peacefully block the train routes. Finally a caring governments listens to the "Gandhian Idea" and everyone celebrates the new found 'backward' status. New heroes are born and praised setting new examples.
Backwardness is the buzzword. If Gurjars can do it, then so can Jats. In this race for backwardness only fittest can survive, and which is a fitter race than Jats - the 'sword' people. Men of Honor, I mean literally. If you don't believe me check honor killing statistics. Jats've always fought for justice and rightful. And this time it's no different. Being backward is right of every Indian, If India needs to progress, need to become the new super power, all Indians must be backwards. Jats' have realized this and would lead from the front now on. So future is calling everyone, what are we waiting for. Lets turn around, closes our eyes and run backwards.. Ab Dilli Door Nahin..
[To all Jat bandhus - plz don't get agitated, idea is not to criticize a caste or community, but a horrible trend. Though I don' believe in caste/creed divide, just to calm you down - I'm born Jat, and this piece is written out of frustration. if you want to show strength, plz fight against reservation, fight for growth, not for backwardness]
