OBC Panel in line with Gandhi and Vivekananda teachings: Bhupender Yadav

Leaders of the Socialist and anticaste movements ended up as feudal lords, cornering power, claims BJP general secretary Bhupender Yadav. In an interview to ET, the Rajya Sabha MP who heads the select parliamentary committee on the Other Backward Classes Bill adds the proposed OBC Commission would ensure power remains with people and not left to vote-bank games of political parties. Excerpts:

Can you explain the significance of the bill to give constitutional status to OBC commission?
The status of many Backwards are similar to that of SC/STs. There is no law to address atrocities on them. To have a Backward commission with statutory power, amendment of the law was necessary, for which the Narendra Modi government worked hard. Unfortunately, the Congress opposed it in the Rajya Sabha and did not let it pass.

The pending bill is to accord constitutional status to the National Commission for Backward Classes by inserting Article 338B into the Constitution after Articles 338 and 338A which deal with the National Commissions for Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST). In many states, court has ruled in favour of classification of Backward classes. This is to prevent political interference in years to come so that Backwards don’t have to suffer on account of any political party.

What is the aim of the newly-constituted panel to examine sub categorisation of OBCs?
The five-member panel will identify the most deserving among Backwards who deserve reservations in government jobs and higher education institutions. After the Mandal commission report according to Indira Sawhney judgment there was a need for an authority that can look into the inclusion and exclusion of backward classes.

That is how backward commission was formed this way in 1993, after which a parliamentary committee too was constituted. But for social justice of the backward classes, from budget, education, jobs, livelihoods it was noticed that the status of many backward communities is similar to that of the SC/ST. There was no judicial system to address the atrocities on these classes.

For the commission to get constitutional rights there was parliamentary amendment necessary. A parliamentary committee came up with carefully studied amendments. Unfortunately the Congress opposed it in the Rajya Sabha and did not let it pass. It was like a child gets his glass of milk but the cat jumps and spills it over.

What will be its impact of these on the narrative on social justice?
In India, social hierarchy is a significant factor in bringing about social change. For decades, several Backward classes have been discriminated. What this government wants is to give a level-playing field to all.

What the Narendra Modi government is doing to the OBC commission is in line with Jaati Todo Abhiyan of Swami Vivekandanda, or teachings of Mahatma Gandhi, who believed the needs of the last man in the line should be considered before policies are made.The last man is not the same all the time. It can be a socially discriminated person or it can also be a person not able to move forward in life because of corruption. The struggle for social justice is to fight both. But for that we need to improve our judicial systems and facilities in education.

We must also work towards creating a mindset among people that if certain sections of people who have faced prejudice for years are propelled it is good for the unity and social justice that will result in holistic development of the country. Unfortunately, even leaders who came out of Socialist and anti-caste movements in the country have become feudal leaders themselves.

The movements became victims of caste politics and power remained in the hands of few individuals and few families. Merit and equal opportunity need to go hand in hand. We need to focus on capacity building to increase our efficiency and provide a level-playing field for equal opportunity. Political parties in future should be prevented from creating caste-based vote banks and power has to be with the people. Basic facilities like health and education need to be provided to everyone but one cannot deny or ignore existing social evils and hierarchies in the country.