Baroda Medical College Youth 4 Equality

2006-06-01T10:30:00.000-07:00

UPDATE: STRIKE CALLED OFF IN BARODA FOR NOW, BUT BATTLE FAR FROM OVER.

Taking into account the decision by the honorable Supreme Court if India, and written assurance from Dr. Manmohan Singh, all three unions of Medical College Baroda has come to a decision to withdraw the strike as of now. We are keeping a watching on the status of other Medical colleges. This blog would continue to bring updates to you.

NOTE: We have been informed that karamsad medical college is organizing arally on 1st june 2006 in Vidyanagar and Anand.

Check out this Site: Nice Update on The entire issue. http://in.rediff.com/news/quota06.html

Quota: Doctors to call off strike
Onkar Singh in New Delhi May 31, 2006 21:01 IST

Striking resident doctors of Delhi's All India Institute of Medical Science and University College of Medical Sciences and other medical colleges and hospitals have decided to honour the Supreme Court directive and return to their duties with effect from Thursday. The doctors have been striking for past 18 days.
A decision to this effect was taken after a long general body meeting of the doctors at the AIIMS premises on Wednesday evening.
Earlier on Wednesday evening the Union health ministry threatened to serve termination notices to the striking doctors by 9 am on Thursday.

But the strike by medical students will continue. The division amongst the doctors become apparent in the afternoon when two opinions emerged amongst them. While one favoured continuation of the strike, the other wanted the doctors to obey the order of the apex court and not engage with it.
"How can we defy the law of the land," an agitated resident doctor asked his colleagues.
Dr Ashish Sabarwal said that the doctors could find new avenues to protest against the government decision to reserve 27 per cent reservation for the OBCs. "The court and the government have given assurances and we should trust them. But I suggest that the Youth for Equality should now be replaced with Citizen for Equality and broaden our canvas," he said.
The court had given three days to the interns to return to their duties or face action. It had also asked the government not to terminate the services of doctors who return to work

2006-05-30T00:47:00.000-07:00

NEW CHARTER OF DEMANDS
1.SETTING OF A NON POLITICAL COMMISION TO REVIEW THE EXISTING RESERVATION POLICY It should be a non-political non-parliamentary commission with constitution, terms of reference and binding nature as described in the note attached.

2. INCREASE IN NUMBER OF SEATS
-Number of seats should be increased in each institute/college such that numbers of general category seats are not decreased at any point, in that particular institute, by the present policy or any other policy in the future.
-Till such time the total numbers of seats are increased, the reservation policy shall not be implemented and the academic year 2007 is not sacrosanct.
-The increase in seats should lead to a proportionate increase in number of general category merit seats in each institution.
-Number of seats in open merit should always remain at least 50.5% exclusive of all the reservations and quotas including SC/ST, OBC, Defense personnel, physically handicapped etc.
-Sequencing of the seats in each institution in each academic year should be done i.e. fill up of SC/ST first, then OBC, other reserved seats (if any) and thereafter general category seats.
-Number of seats should not be increased until proper infrastructure is made in the colleges and adequate requirements met so that the quality does not suffer.
-A technical committee comprising of members of the college itself should decide the possibility of increase in seats and if possible the amount of infrastructure and finances needed.
-The reserved seats should be filled on the basis of "reasonable level of merit" which is defined as the students falling under the reserved seats should score at least 90 percent of marks scored by general category candidates in that particular entrance examination.

3.EXCLUSION OF CREAMY LAYER
Socio economic criteria to be set up and applied universally without any caste basis, which effectively excludes the affluent and those already having access to jobs and higher education.
A separate allocation of seats to be included in the proposed 27% to students coming from weak and poorer background and who do not come in any other reservation categories.

4.NO ACTION OF ANY NATURE SHOULD BE TAKEN AGAINST STUDENTS, INTERNS, DOCTORS & OTHERS WHO PARTICIPATED IN THE AGITATION with regards to service break, termination, pay and leave deduction, legal action etc

2006-05-29T22:50:00.000-07:00

Chetan Bhagat on Quota

Stay strong, stay inspiredMay 30, 2006

A couple of weeks ago I wrote an article against reservations and sent it to a trusted journalist friend (TJF). The article was in the form of an open letter to the prime minister. TJF replied that even though the article sounded heartfelt and the arguments were valid, she could not use it. The reason, she said, was simple. She told me a lot of what I was saying had already been said. The case for merit, equality, Indian competitiveness was already out in the open. Her newspaper would not repeat the same argument again.
'What more do the upper castes want?'
I took her point and withdrew the article. However, it struck me that in many situations, the media will not cover something relevant just because well, it is not entertaining enough.
I had a call with another senior journalist friend (yes, I have journalists as friends -- I have no life, I know). We discussed the reservation issue -- on how it was practically more relevant to middle class Indians than any other issue. While the issue does get coverage, it has not ignited minds and galvanised the middle class. Somehow the issue is not getting as forceful a treatment. Fanaa's ban in Gujarat attracted far more media space for instance.
"The reason quite simply is the lack of a dramatic event. Ten years back, kids were burning themselves. Nothing of that sort is happening now. And the media is so immune now, to get them interested young people need to do more", was what she told me.
I am not here to do moral posturing. And I do respect her opinion. So I will not go into the "Media these days" rant. I will only take some lessons from a senior person in the media and try to give some tips to the activists to make sure their protests are more effective. After all, the point of making a noise is to be heard. And to be heard, one doesn't have to burn himself -- that is foolish and a one-time flash in the pan. If you want to do an effective protest, learn from the past masters -- and who better than Mahatma Gandhi.
A lot of rage, a little Rang De
In photographs, Mahatma Gandhi is a frail, saintly figure. However, what is often ignored is his magical ability to make a point and attract attention. He had no advertising budgets or PR managers. There were very few media outlets then. And he had only one, constant -- freedom. Yet, he dominated media space for decades and ultimately won. There is no reason why we cannot learn a few tips from him, some of which I list below. And you can get these checked by any media professional; they would tend to agree that this is a way to get yourself heard.
1. Keep a visual -- This is vital in today's multimedia world. Newspapers need to be colourful to compete with television, and a television is not a television without a visual. Gandhi kept a visual -- salt march (everyone remembers the scooping of salt), burning British made clothes, operating the charkha and more. Placards are boring. Do something else -- a huge bonfire, human chains -- be creative, make it easier for NDTV. They will come, I promise.
2. Emotions more than Reason -- Whenever activists talk to the media, always keep emotions in the forefront. Brooding anger, tears, banging fists is far more interesting than statistics on caste based demographics. Tell people what you think about the issue -- you are on the editorial page. Tell people what you feel about the issue -- you are on the front page.
3. Intentions more than Action -- This is a trick most used by our politicians even today. In reality, actions alone matter. However, our politicians keep saying 'our intention is to lift the backward castes', and they almost sound reasonable. Of course, the actions only divide the country and kill merit -- but they hide in the garb of purported good intentions. Protestors can do the same. They may be blocking traffic -- but harp on the intentions: 'But this is for Saraswati mata -- knowledge should decide'. (Think about it -- the politicians will be scared to take on Saraswati mata or if you mix any religious sentiment in your favour). Alongside, attack the other party's intentions -- 'they are only doing reservations for selfish political gain' (which is probably true).
The next partition of India
4. Don't hurt yourself -- Burning yourself or even hunger strikes are very dangerous tools. There is no guarantee they will be effective. If they don't work, you will be seen as weak. Gandhi used a hunger strike rarely, and only after he had decades of experience.
5. Find a simple, interesting slogan -- Gandhi always had a simple slogan. It gives two benefits -- one it makes it easier to pass through word of mouth with minimal distortion. Secondly, it fits into the limited headline space in newspapers. In media terms, this is called 'the hook'. The reservation movement has no slogan yet. Find one. My suggestions: "No suck-up politics" OR "India on Merit only"
The above points are important to make your cause heard. Ignore them and the world will ignore you. Play them right and the media is on your side. Trust me; the reservation issue has bothered a lot of people in the media too.
I personally feel very strongly against reservations, and I wish the agitators all the best. I give the above tips as my small contribution towards tackling this monumental issue that will take effort from all of us. I am writing this article for an online site so that you can forward it to all friends who feel the same about reservations.
You are standing up for fairness, God will be with you. Stay strong, stay inspired.

Chetan Bhagat is the author of the bestselling One Night@the Call Center and Five Point Someone. The views expressed here are his own and rediff.com does not endorse it.

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2006-05-29T09:27:00.000-07:00

Till Now:

42,000 people were asked "Do you support us in our revolution against the reservation policy introduced by the UPA goverment and more than 36,000 voted Yes, that they support us.

More than 10,000 signatures have been collected that say that they support us in our fight against reservation

More than 11,000 postcards have been sent to Dr. Manmohan Singh that I and my family will not vote for any government including yours that supports reservation.

You Can make a post card of a similar kind and mail it to"Dr. Manmohan Singh, 7 Race Course Road, New Delhi."

2006-05-20T23:05:00.000-07:00

"The First Batch of Hunger Strikers"

A JOINT VENTURE

NOTE: FACULTY OF TECHNOLOGY MSU IS JOINING US FROM TOMMOROW...WHY ARE U STILL SITTING AT HOME ?

The Revolution against Hike in reservation in Baroda is a joint venture between these organizations

JDA- Junior doctors association
BIDA- Baroda Interns Doctors association
BMCSA- Baroda
Medical College Student's Association
Faculty of Technology

Indian Medical association - Vadodara Chapter

IMPORTANT CONTACT INFORMATION

For any details on this revolution please contact
JDA
Dr. Dhiren Thakkar- 9898064505
BIDA
Dr. Markand Patel- 9426757585
Dr. Suresh Sharma- 9879062629
BMCSA
Dr. Om Lakhani- 9825957844
Dr. Hemang Shah- 9824115736

Email: omlakhani@gmail.com

THE STORY SO FAR

15 May- JDA Residents join BIDA and BMCSA in protest, call on a 72 hour token strike- the first in Gujarat among the residents
16 May- A general public awareness campaign in baroda- more than 20,000 pamplets distributed in the city, plus a city wide demostration
17 May - A City Wide Rally and Demostration was carried out. More than 500 students started a March from Medical Colleg, Baroda then to Sayajiganj, Kalaghoda and upto the collector's office to submit a memorundum to the collector.
18 May- A demostration carried out on railways station, and signature campaign is started, more than a 1000 signatures collected with 3 hours already !!
19 May - More than 60 students from Medical College , Baroda left the city to join "Delhi Chalo" massive nation wide march in Delhi.
20 May- Along with the solidarity day nationwide, students of Medical college , Baroda carried out a "Bike Rally" to show their protest.
23 May- Baroda Medical College is the king of creativity, and we prove it again.... we went around all the relegious places in Baroda, a Church, A Gurudwara, a Mosque and a Temple to pray that the goverment takes back its policy
24th May - 10 students start the 72 hours relay hunger strike.

25th May- Anti Reservation Slideshow and drama organized in the SSGH campus.

27th May- Huge rally comprising doctors of IMA- Vadodara chapter, Students of Medical College Baroda, Technology faculty, MSc, Commerce and many many others. The first batch of hunger strike is completed, a second batch joins in.

28th May: A Sample poll was conducted and more than 42,000 people were contacted of which more than 36,000 voted for supporting us against this reservation policy of UPA government.

A Panel discussion was held with Dr. Darshan Banker, Dr. Anil Kane, Dr. Arjun Mehta, Shri Jitubhai, Mr. Bhoumik and Mr. Dholakia and we tried to find a solution to the problem.

EARLIER....
30th April- Baroda Medical College Students hold a demonstration against Hike in Reservation proposed
1st May - A City Wide Rally and Demostration was carried out. More than 500 students started a March from Medical Colleg, Baroda then to Sayajiganj, Kalaghoda and upto the collector's office to submit a memorundum to the collector. Further action was called off beacuse of Riots in the city.

USP of Movement Baroda
1. One of the first to start demonstration and rallys countrywide
2. Our JDA was the first in Gujarat to call a strike
3. One of the only movements in the entire country where even students from reserved category are against reservation hike !

2006-05-20T22:12:00.000-07:00

UPDATE YOURSELF FAQ- FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

By Om Lakhani

Q. What are we fighting for ?

- We are protesting against increase reservation for backward categories in the internationally reputed AIIMS, Indian Institutes of Technology and Indian Institutes of Management from 22.5% to 49.5% and also increase in the Quota in All India Post Graduate entrance examinations.

- We are protesting against the fact that elite of the so called backward community get all the reservation benefits and thos who really deserve it are left in the cold

- We are protesting Vote bank politics on the name of caste

- We are protesting the dilution of merit

- We are protesting the "Divide and Rule" politics of the government.

Q. What are we not fighting for ...

- We are NOT against any caste we are not fighting against the rights any of the backward community

- We are all FOR economic reservation but not caste based reservation.

- We are not against the existing reservations- we are protesting against the further hike in it.

- We are not racists and we are not Anti- Dalits.

Q. What is Youth 4 Equality ?

Youth 4 Equality is NOT an organization, it is a movement, a revolution a cry. It is a forum, a banner a name under which the various anti-reservation movements all around India are united.

Q. Is this a movement only for Medical Students ?

No, this movement though lead by medicos all around the country is for all Students. What applies to AIIMS and AIPG is also going to affect IIM and IIT.

Q. Are patients at the reciving end of the movement ?

No, patients are at inconvience but not discarded and shunned. At many places around the country Residents doctors are still working and supporting the movement when they are off duty. Even at places where Residents are on strike, the hospital staff and all senior doctors are working overtime. Emergency services are on 100 % and OPDs are run outside the hospitals. No patinets are not suffering, just a little inconvience. We do care.

Update- All Doctors will join the Pulse Polio campaign on May 21.

Q. Where are the doctors protesting ?

Doctors are protesting in almost 90 % of medical colleges all around the country. Even privated medical colleges have joined in.

Q. When will this end ?

This protest will end when goverment promises to roll back the action. We do understand that doing so may lead to a fraction in the government so we are ready for discussions and finding out a common solution without diluting or compromising our cause. Of course we would not end this until a formal apolgy from the Mumbai police and Maharatra government is issued.

Q. Rallies, Protest, Marches, strikes how do they help ?

Its a common question that how much is making posters an banners and shouting on streets or going to hunger strike really helping, let me assure you it does work and it has worked before. These Gandhian modes of protest was what gave us freedom from the British and this is what is going to free us from the caste system. In a democratic country we cannot resort to violence and we will not do so under any circumstances. Eventhough students in Mumbai and Delhi were lathi charged not a single police officer was hurt. So such our Gandhian Spirit.

Q. How much is mobilizing people helpful ?

Moblizing people is a way of talking to politicians in the language they understand, the language of votes. When politician see lakhs of students in a Delhi Chalo mega rally, they dont see human beings but potential votes marching away from them..... that they understand. So in every democratic protest, More the merrier.

Q. Who do I contact to join the rally ?

Check out this website which has contact details of your respective city http://protestcentral.blogspot.com

Q. Government has proposed that we would increase the seats in the general catergory, why is this not satisfactory ?

This proposal is a Government's way of buying time. We all know that it takes days to introduce reservation quota but years to increase the number of seats. There are qualilty checks from Governing bodies and more staff needs to be emplyed and more facilities are required. Public memory is short and 5 year from now people will forget thus government promise and government will forget to increase the number of seats or give a convinent excuse.

Q. Why isn't any politican or party openly suppoting us ?

This is because no party wants to loose crucial backward caste votes. Its as simple as that.

Q.It is said that the proposed quota system is based on population based demographics ?

This statement is the biggest lie ever. It is a known fact that since 1931 no census reports the caste of a person, so how can we formaly know the percentage of caste in the country. Also NFHS - 2 (National Family health survey) which is the most recent data with caste categorization states that backward castes dont form more than 36% of popluation !!

Another fact is that people from reserved category can compete for general quota as well, but vice versa is of course not true. It is possible that number of people from reserved category who really take admission is more than the seats resevred becasue some reseved category students take admission in the open category !

Q. What do we mean by dilution of merit ?

By dilution of merit we dont say that reserved category students donot make good doctors, enginneers or managers. Infact it is proved that they may be even better proifessionals than others but it is also true that a person who gets 87 percentile of a higer rank in the entrance deserved to get admission before one with 51 % or a lower rank in the entrance.

Q. What happened in Mumbai on 13th May ?

It is indeed a day to look upon with immense disgust as the city witnessed one of the most brutal attacks by the police on peaceful protesters. The force that's supposed to be the custodian of security unleashed hell at Walkeshwar this evening as Youth For Equality staged a peaceful protest outside the Governor's bungalow.The students involved were distributing pamphlets to raise awareness about the cause YFE has been involved in when the police force appeared and, without warning, began lathi-charging the protesters.This act by the police is one of the most inhuman ones, as you shall see in the coming lines:

The protest was labelled "violent", which is wholly an untruth
Police claimed YFE "gatecrashed" the Governor's house, which cannot be possible if people sit on the road outside distributing pamphlets
The DCP claimed that students were not lathi-charged, a most abominable lie
Students expressed that they would voluntarily walk into the police vans, but the police still beat them up and shoved them into the vans
It didn't stop there, as the students were beaten up even once they were inside the vans
Lady students were beaten by male police officers; not just this - there were no lady constables in vans transporting lady students - a clear breach of the protocol
As was recorded on camera, persons not in police uniform were involved in the lathi-charge, which is a criminal offence termed "assault and battery"
Several of our protesters suffered injury, about 30-50 are grievously injured, while there are some who have suffered fractures of the leg bone, arm bone and the jaw; in addition to bleeding into joint cavities for some
In addition to these, the police's devious tactics included dousing students, especially male students, with alcohol to later charge them with unruly behaviour under the influence of alcohol
The police went to the extent of telling protesters that they would rather have the protesters commit suicide than blocking the road outside the Governor's house

Q. How can i join the movement ?

YOU CAN BE A PART OF THIS MOVEMENT...

* Read up more on the issue to educate yourself: unless you are well informed, you cannot convince others

* Talk to people one-on-one to explain the cause to them

* Mobilize people within your college/company/colony to help us create a wider base

* Download, print and spread the signature campaign

* Help us in our research

* Inform us about potential sources of funding

* Join rallies, Demos and marches organized in your city

* Join the online forums.

Q. What was the Madal Commission ?

The Mandal Commission in India was established in 1979 by the Janata Party government under Prime Minister Morarji Desai with a mandate to "identify the socially or educationally backward."[1] It was headed by Indian parliamentarian B.P. Mandal to consider the question of seat reservations and quotas for people to redress caste discrimination, and used eleven social, economic, and educational indicators to determine "backwardness." In 1980, the commission's report affirmed the affirmative action practice under Indian law whereby members of lower castes (known as Other Backward Classes and Scheduled Castes and Tribes) were given exclusive access to a certain portion of government jobs and slots in public universities, and recommended changes to these quotas, increasing them by 27% to 49.5%[1]. The report, released in 1980, was the source of great controversy, and its implementation in 1990 was the ultimate cause of India's Prime Minister Vishwanath Pratap Singh's resignation.

Q. Who is Arjun Singh ? Tell me why he is known as the "King of Controversies" ?

Arjun Singh (born November 5, 1930, Madhya Pradesh) is a veteran Congress (I) politician. He is the Human Resources and Development (HRD) minister in the current Indian government headed by Manmohan Singh, the same post that he held in the early 1990s in the Narasimha Rao government. He served as a minister in the Rajiv Gandhi government, and held the post of Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh and Governor of Punjab. He was awarded the Outstanding Parliamentarian Award for the year 2000.
[edit]

Controversies
He was accused of corruption in what was called by some the Churhat Lottery case in the 1980s, in which allegations, never proved, were levelled that he had helped set up a phony state lottery.
Arjun Singh was the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh when the Bhopal gas leak [1][2] occurred in 1984. There have been allegations since that the state administration did not do enough for the victims of the fatal gas leak.
Additional controversy was created in 2005 by drafting the proposed 104th Amendment Bill to the constitution, which subsequently became the 93rd Amendment. According to this amendment, which has yet to pass the 'Basic Structure' test of constitutionality by the Supreme Court, all private unaided educational institutes would have to reserve seats for designated backward castes. In early 2006, he also sought to increase reservation for backward categories in the internationally reputed Indian Institutes of Technology and Indian Institutes of Management from 22.5% to 49.5%. The National Knowledge Commission, a body of academicians and intellectuals who report directly to the Prime Minister on matters of educational policy, strongly opposed the move. [3] The Commission also strongly criticized Arjun Singh for what it described as his efforts to "obfuscate" the issue by raising questions about the credentials of some of the Knowledge Commission members.

Q. Tell me something about the history of reservation in India ...

TIMELINE
June 1951: First amendment Act of the Indian Constitution says that nothing shall prevent the state from making special provisions for the educational, economic or social advancement of any backward class
1953: First backward classes commission headed by Kaka Kalelkar instituted
1955: Kalelkar Commission report tabled. But, it failed to recommend reservations to the backward classes
1979: Second backward classes commission chaired by Parliamentarian B.P. Mandal constituted 1982: Mandal Commission report tabled. Recommends 27 % reservation for Socially and Educationally Backward Classes( SEBCs) and additional 10% for Economically Backward classes not covered under any existing reservation.

August 1990: PM V.P. Singh announces implementation of the Mandal Commission recommendations. Protests led to his resignation.

1992: PM P.V. Narasimha Rao put forward the Bill for reservations on economic basis for all communities in education and posts under the Union govt and public sector.

March 2000: Union govt decides to bring in Bill challenging the Supreme Court decision on discontinuing recruitment drives in govt jobs for SC/ST candidates and limiting the percentage of backlog vacancies.
June 2000: Constitution (81st Amendment) Act, 2000 passed—nothing shall prevent the State from considering any unfilled vacancies of a year as a separate class of vacancies. besides the ceiling of fifty per cent reservation on total number of vacancies.

September 2000: Constitution (82nd amendment) Act, 2000 passed in favour of reservation in promotions for government employees of backward classes.
January 29, 2004: Maharashtra passed a first of its kind Bill that sought to reserve 52 per cent of jobs in the private sector for SC, ST, OBC, denotified tribes and nomadic tribes. A third of all promotions too will be reserved.
December, 2005: Parliament passed, The Constitution (Ninety-third) Amendment Bill, 2005, to enable the State to make special provisions by law for admission of socially and educationally backward classes, scheduled castes and tribes to all public and private educational institutions, whether aided or unaided, except minority educational institutions.

To add more information or get more information contact omlakhani@gmail.com

2006-05-19T09:06:00.000-07:00

Karan Thapar Interviews the Devil, Arjun Singh in Devil's Advocate. Here is the complete transcript.

Karan Thapar: Hello and welcome to the Devil's Advocate. As the debate over the reservations for the OBCs divides the country, we ask: What are the government's real intentions? That is the critical questions that I shall put today in an exclusive interview to the Minister for Human Resource Development Arjun Singh.

Karan Thapar:Most of the people would accept that steps are necessary to help the OBCs gain greater access to higher education. The real question is: Why do you believe that reservations is the best way of doing this?

Arjun Singh: I wouldn't like to say much more on this because these are decisions that are taken not by individuals alone. And in this case, the entire Parliament of this country - almost with rare unanimity - has decided to take this decision.

Karan Thapar: Except that Parliament is not infallible. In the Emergency, when it amended the Constitution, it was clearly wrong, it had to reverse its own amendments. So, the question arises: Why does Parliament believe that the reservation is the right way of helping the OBCs?

Arjun Singh: Nobody is infallible. But Parliament is Supreme and at least I, as a Member of Parliament, cannot but accept the supremacy of Parliament.

Karan Thapar: No doubt Parliament is supreme, but the Constitutional amendment that gives you your authorities actually enabling amendment, it is not a compulsory requirement. Secondly, the language of the amendment does not talk about reservations, the language talks about any provision by law for advancement of socially and educationally backward classes. So, you could have chosen anything other than reservations, why reservations?

Arjun Singh: Because as I said, that was the 'will and desire of the Parliament'.

Karan Thapar: Do you personally also, as Minister of Human Resource Development, believe that reservations is the right and proper way to help the OBCs?

Arjun Singh: Certainly, that is one of the most important ways to do it.

Karan Thapar: The right way?

Arjun Singh: Also the right way.

Karan Thapar: In which case, lets ask a few basic questions. We are talking about the reservations for the OBCs in particular. Do you know what percentage of the Indian population is OBC? Mandal puts it at 52 per cent, the National Sample Survey Organisation (NSSO) at 32 per cent, the National Family and Health Survey at 29.8 per cent, which is the correct figure?

Arjun Singh: I think that should be decided by people who are more knowledgeable. But the point is that the OBCs form a fairly sizeable percentage of our population.

Karan Thapar: No doubt, but the reason why it is important to know 'what percentage' they form is that if you are going to have reservations for them, then you must know what percentage of the population they are, otherwise you don't know whether they are already adequately catered to in higher educational institutions or not.

Arjun Singh: That is obvious - they are not.

Karan Thapar: Why is it obvious?

Arjun Singh: Obvious because it is something which we all see.

Karan Thapar: Except for the fact that the NSSO, which is a government appointed body, has actually in its research in 1999 - which is the most latest research shown - that 23.5 per cent of all university seats are already with the OBCs. And that is just 8.5 per cent less than what the NSSO believes is the OBC share of the population. So, for a difference of 8 per cent, would reservations be the right way of making up the difference?

Arjun Singh: I wouldn't like to go behind all this because, as I said, Parliament has taken a view and it has taken a decision, I am a servant of Parliament and I will only implement.

Karan Thapar: Absolutely, Parliament has taken a view, I grant it. But what people question is the simple fact - Is there a need for reservations? If you don't know what percentage of the country is OBC and if, furthermore, the NSSO is correct in pointing out that already 23.5 per cent of the college seats are with the OBC, then you don't have a case in terms of need.

Arjun Singh: College seats, I don't know.

Karan Thapar: According to the NSSO - which is a government appointed body - 23.5 per cent of the college seats are already with the OBCs.

Arjun Singh: What do you mean by college seats?

Comment: Is this guy Dumb ! Keep asking what do u mean by college seats ?

Karan Thapar: University seats, seats of higher education.

Arjun Singh: Well, I don't know I have not come across that so far.

Karan Thapar: So, when critics say to you that you don't have a case for reservation in terms of need, what do you say to them?
Arjun Singh: I have said what I had to say and the point is that that is not an issue for us to now debate.
Karan Thapar: You mean the chapter is now closed?
Arjun Singh: The decision has been taken.
Karan Thapar: Regardless of whether there is a need or not, the decision is taken and it is a closed chapter.
Arjun Singh: So far as I can see, it is a closed chapter and that is why I have to implement what all Parliament has said.

Karan Thapar: Minister, it is not just in terms of 'need' that your critics question the decision to have reservation for OBCs in higher education. More importantly, they question whether reservations themselves are efficacious and can work.
For example, a study done by the IITs themselves shows that 50 per cent of the IIT seats for the SCs and STs remain vacant, and for the remaining 50 per cent, 25 per cent are the candidates who even after six years fail to get their degrees. So, clearly, in their case, reservations are not working.
Arjun Singh: I would only say that on this issue, it would not be correct to go by all these figures that have been paraded.

Comment: He doesn't Trust what the IIT research says !!

Karan Thapar: You mean the IIT figures themselves could be dubious?
Arjun Singh: Not dubious, but I think that is not the last word.
Karan Thapar: All right, maybe the IIT may not be the last word, let me then quote to you the report of the Parliamentary Committee on the welfare for the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes - that is a Parliamentary body.
It says, that looking at the Delhi University, between 1995 and 2000, just half the seats for under-graduates at the Scheduled Castes level and just one-third of the seats for under-graduates at the Scheduled Tribes level were filled. All the others went empty, unfilled. So, again, even in Delhi University, reservations are not working.
Arjun Singh: If they are not working, it does not mean that for that reason we don't need them. There must be some other reason why they are not working and that can be certainly probed and examined. But to say that for this reason, 'no reservations need to be done' is not correct.

Comment: In English that I know... It is not working is same as We dont need them !

Karan Thapar: Fifty years after the reservations were made, statistics show, according to The Hindustan Times, that overall in India, only 16 per cent of the places in higher education are occupied by SCs and STs. The quota is 22.5 per cent, which means that only two-thirds of the quota is occupied. One-third is going waste, it is being denied to other people.
Arjun Singh: As I said, the kind of figures that have been brought out, in my perception, do not reflect the realities. Realities are something much more and, of course, there is an element of prejudice also.

Comment: Right IIT is dubious, Hindustand Times is Prejudiced, times of India is biased, there is Santa Claus, Aliens started the world war.... what do I have to hear from his dementia.

Karan Thapar: But these are figures that come from a Parliamentary Committee. It can't be prejudiced; they are your own colleagues.

Arjun Singh: Parliamentary Committee has given the figures, but as to why this has not happened, that is a different matter.
Karan Thapar: I put it to you that you don't have a case for reservations in terms of need, you don't have a case for reservations in terms of their efficacy, why then, are you insisting on extending them to the OBCs?
Arjun Singh: I don't want to use that word, but I think that your argument is basically fallacious.
Karan Thapar: But it is based on all the facts available in the public domain.
Arjun Singh: Those are facts that need to be gone into with more care. What lies behind those facts, why this has not happened, that is also a fact.
Karan Thapar: Let’s approach the issue of reservations differently in that case. Reservations mean that a lesser-qualified candidate gets preference over a more qualified candidate, solely because in this case, he or she happens to be an OBC. In other words, the upper castes are being penalised for being upper caste.
Arjun Singh: Nobody is being penalised and that is a factor that we are trying to address. I think that the Prime Minister will be talking to all the political parties and will be putting forward a formula, which will see that nobody is being penalised.
Karan Thapar: I want very much to talk about that formula, but before we come to talk about how you are going to address concerns, let me point one other corollary: Reservations also gives preference and favour to caste over merit. Is that acceptable in a modern society?
Arjun Singh: I don't think the perceptions of modern society fit India entirely.

Comment: India is not a modern society, we are backward, middle age , dark ages fools and simpletons who will do whatever Raja Arjun Singh would tell us !

Karan Thapar: You mean India is not a modern society and therefore can't claim to be treated as one?
Arjun Singh: It is emerging as a modern society, but the parameters of a modern society do not apply to large sections of the people in this country.
Karan Thapar: Let me quote to you Jawaharlal Nehru, a man whom you personally admire enormously. On the 27th of June 1961 wrote to the Chief Ministers of the day as follows: I dislike any kind of reservations. If we go in for any kind of reservations on communal and caste basis, we will swamp the bright and able people and remain second-rate or third-rate. The moment we encourage the second-rate, we are lost. And then he adds pointedly: This way lies not only folly, but also disaster. What do you say to Jawaharlal Nehru today?
Arjun Singh: Jawaharlal Nehru was a great man in his own right and not only me, but everyone in India accept his view.
Karan Thapar: But you are just about to ignore his advice.
Arjun Singh: No. Are you aware that it was Jawaharlal Nehru who introduced the first amendment regarding OBCs?
"I don't think the perceptions of modern society fit India entirely. It is emerging as a modern society, but the parameters of a modern society do not apply to large sections of the people in this country"
Karan Thapar: Yes, and I am talking about Jawaharlal Nehru in 1961, when clearly he had changed his position, he said, “I dislike any kind of reservations”.
Arjun Singh: I don't think one could take Panditji's position at any point of time and then overlook what he had himself initiated.
Karan Thapar: Am I then to understand that regardless of the case that is made against reservations in terms of need, regardless of the case that has been made against reservations in terms of efficacy, regardless of the case that has been made against reservations in terms of Jawaharlal Nehru, you remain committed to extending reservations to the OBCs.
Arjun Singh: I said because that is the will of Parliament. And I think that common decisions that are taken by Parliament have to be honoured.
Karan Thapar: Let me ask you a few basic questions. If reservations are going to happen for the OBCs in higher education, what percentage of reservations are we talking about?
Arjun Singh: No, that I can't say because that has yet to be decided.
Karan Thapar: Could it be less than 27 per cent?
Arjun Singh: I can't say anything on that, I have told you in the very beginning that at this point of time it is not possible for me to.
Karan Thapar: Quite right. If you can't say, then that also means that the figure has not been decided.
Arjun Singh: The figure will be decided, it has not been decided yet.
Karan Thapar: The figure has not been decided. So, therefore the figure could be 27, but it could be less than 27, too?
Arjun Singh: I don't want to speculate on that because as I said, that is a decision which will be taken by Parliament.
Karan Thapar: Whatever the figure, one thing is certain that when the reservations for OBCs happen, the total quantum of reservations will go up in percentage terms. Will you compensate by increasing the total number of seats in colleges, universities, IITs and IIMs so that the other students don't feel deprived.
Arjun Singh: That is one of the suggestions that has been made and is being seriously considered.
Karan Thapar: Does it find favour with you as a Minister for Human Resource Development?
Arjun Singh: Whatever suggestion comes, we are committed to examine it.
Karan Thapar: You may be committed to examine it, but do you as minister believe that that is the right way forward?
Arjun Singh: That could be one of the ways, but not the only way.
Karan Thapar: What are the other ways?
Arjun Singh: I don't know. That is for the Prime Minister and the other ministers to decide.
Karan Thapar: One way forward would be to increase the total number of seats.
Arjun Singh: Yes, definitely.

Karan Thapar: But the problem is that, as the Times of India points out, we are talking of an increase of perhaps as much as 53 per cent. Given the constraints you have in terms of faculty and infrastructure, won't that order of increase dilute the quality of education?
Arjun Singh: I would only make one humble request, don't go by The Times of India and The Hindustan Times about faculty and infrastructure, because they are trying to focus on an argument which they have made.
Karan Thapar: All right, I will not go by The Times of India, let me instead go by Sukhdev Thorat, the Chairman of the UGC. He points out that today, at higher education levels - that is all universities, IITs and IIMs - there is already a 1.2 lakh vacancy number. Forty per cent of these are in teaching staff, which the IIT faculty themselves point out that they have shortages of up to 30 per cent. Given those two constraint, can you increase the number of seats?
Arjun Singh: That can be addressed and that shortage can be taken care of.
Karan Thapar: But it can't be taken care of in one swoop, it will take several years to do it.
Arjun Singh: I don't know whether it can be taken care of straightway or in stages, that is a subject to be decided.
"I would only make one humble request, don't go by the media, because they are trying to focus on an argument which they have made."
Karan Thapar: Let me ask you bluntly, if you were to agree to compensate for reservations for OBCs by increasing the number of seats, would that increase happen at one go, or would it be staggered over a period of two-three or four year old process.
Arjun Singh: As I told you, it is an issue that I cannot comment upon at this moment because that is under examination.
Karan Thapar: So, it may happen in one go and it may happen in a series of several years.
Arjun Singh: I can't speculate on that because that is not something on which I am free to speak on today.
Karan Thapar: Will the reservation for OBCs, whatever figure your Committee decides on, will it happen in one go, or will it slowly be introduced in stages?
Arjun Singh: That also I cannot say because, as I told you, all these issues are under consideration.
Karan Thapar: Which means that everything that is of germane interest to the people concerned is at the moment 'under consideration' and the government is not able to give any satisfaction to the students who are deeply concerned.
Arjun Singh: That is not the point. The government knows what to do and it will do what is needed.
Karan Thapar: But if the government knows what to do, why won't you tell me what the government wants to do?
Arjun Singh: Because unless the decision is taken, I cannot tell you.
Karan Thapar: But you can share with me as the minister what you are thinking.
Arjun Singh: No.
Karan Thapar: So, in other words, we are manitaining a veil of secrecy and the very people who are concerned...
Arjun Singh: I am not maintaining a veil of secrecy. I am only telling you what propriety allows me to tell you.
Karan Thapar: Propriety does not allow you to share with the people who are protesting on the streets what you are thinking of?
Arjun Singh: I don't think that that can happen all the time.
Karan Thapar: But there are people who feel that their lives and their futures are at stake and they are undertaking fasts until death.
Arjun Singh: It is being hyped up, I don't want to go into that.
Karan Thapar: Do you have no sympathy for them?
Arjun Singh: I have every sympathy.
Karan Thapar: But you say it is being hyped up.
Arjun Singh: Yes, it is hyped up.
Karan Thapar: So, then, what sympathy are you showing?
Arjun Singh: I am showing sympathy to them and not to those who are hyping it up.

Karan Thapar: The CPM says that if the reservations for the OBCs are to happen, then what is called the ‘creamy layer’ should be excluded. How do you react to that?
Arjun Singh: The ‘creamy layer’ issue has already been taken care of by the Supreme Court.
Karan Thapar: That was vis-a-vis jobs in employment, what about at the university level, should they be excluded there as well because you are suggesting that the answer is yes?
Arjun Singh: That could be possible.
Karan Thapar: It could be possible that the ‘creamy layer’ is excluded from reservations for OBCs in higher education?
Arjun Singh: It could be, but I don't know whether it would happen actually.
Karan Thapar: Many people say that if reservations for OBCs in higher education happen, then the children of beneficiaries should not be entitled to claim the same benefit.
Arjun Singh: Why?
Karan Thapar: So that there is always a shrinking base and the rate doesn't proliferate.
Arjun Singh: I don't think that that is a very logical way of looking at it.
Karan Thapar: Is that not acceptable to you?
Arjun Singh: No, it is not the logical way of looking at it.
Karan Thapar: So, with the possible exception of the creamy layer exclusion, reservation for OBCs in higher education will be almost identical to the existing reservations for SC/STs?
Arjun Singh: Except for the percentage.
Karan Thapar: Except for the percentage.
Arjun Singh: Yes.
Karan Thapar: So, in every other way, they will be identical.
Arjun Singh: Yes, in every other way.
"Actually, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had a meeting in which OBC leaders were called to convince them that this would give them the desired advantage"
Karan Thapar: Mr Arjun Singh, on the 5th of April when you first indicated that the Government was considering reservation for OBCs in higher education, was the Prime Minister in agreement that this was the right thing to do?
Arjun Singh: I think, there is a very motivated propaganda on this issue. Providing reservation to OBCs was in the public domain right from December 2005, when Parliament passed the enabling resolution.
Karan Thapar: Quite true. But had the Prime Minister specifically agreed on or before 5th of April to the idea?
Arjun Singh: Well, I am telling you it was already there. A whole Act was made, the Constitution was amended and the Prime Minister was fully aware of what this is going to mean. Actually, he had a meeting in which OBC leaders were called to convince them that this would give them the desired advantage. And they should, therefore, support this resolution. And at that meeting, he himself talked to them. Now, how do you say that he was unaware?
Karan Thapar: But were you at all aware that the Prime Minister might be in agreement with what was about to happen but might not wish it disclosed publicly at that point of time? Were you aware of that?
Arjun Singh: It was already there in public domain, that's what I am trying to tell you.
Karan Thapar: Then answer this to me. Why are members of the PMO telling journalists that Prime Minister was not consulted and that you jumped the gun?
Arjun Singh: Well, I don't know which member of the PMO you are talking about unless you name him.
Karan Thapar: Is there a conspiracy to make you the Fall Guy?
Arjun Singh: Well, I don't know whether there is one or there is not. But Fall Guys are not made in this way. And I am only doing what was manifestly clear to every one, was cleared by the party and the Prime Minister. There is no question of any personal agenda.
Karan Thapar: They say that, in fact, you brought up this issue to embarrass the Prime Minister.
Arjun Singh: Why should I embarrass the Prime Minister? I am with him. I am part of his team.

Karan Thapar: They say that you have a lingering, forgive the word, jealousy because Sonia Gandhi chose Manmohan Singh and not you as Prime Minister.
Arjun Singh: Well, that is canard which is below contempt. Only that person can say this who doesn't know what kind of respect and regard I hold for Sonia Gandhi. She is the leader. Whatever she decides is acceptable to me.
Karan Thapar: They also say that you brought this issue up because you felt that the Prime Minister had been eating into your portfolio. Part of it had gone to Renuka Chaudhury and, in fact, your new deputy minister Purandar Sridevi had taken over certain parts. This was your way of getting back.
Arjun Singh: No one was taking over any part. This is a decision which the Prime Minister makes as to who has to have what portfolio. And he asked Mrs Renuka Devi to take it and he cleared it with me first.
Karan Thapar: So there is no animus on your part?
Arjun Singh: Absolutely not.
Karan Thapar: They say that you did this because you resented the Prime Minister's popular image in the country, that this was your way of embroiling him in a dispute that will make him look not like a modern reformer but like an old-fashioned, family-hold politician instead.
Arjun Singh: Well, the Tammany Hall political stage is over. He is our Prime Minister and every decision he has taken is in the full consent with his Cabinet and I don't think there can be any blame on him.
"I have not jumped the gun. If this is an issue, which is sensitive, everyone has to treat it that way."
Karan Thapar: One, then, last quick question. Do you think this is an issue, which is a sensitive issue, where everyone knew there would have been passions and emotions that would have been aroused has been handled as effectively as it should have been?
Arjun Singh: Well, I have not done anything on it. I have not, sort of what you call, jumped the gun. If this is an issue, which is sensitive, everyone has to treat it that way.
Karan Thapar: But your conscience as HRD Minister is clear?
Arjun Singh: Absolutely clear.
Karan Thapar: There is nothing that you could have done to make it easier for the young students?
Arjun Singh: Well, I am prepared to do anything that can be done. And it is being attempted.
Karan Thapar: For seven weeks, they have been protesting in the hot sun. No minister has gone there to appease them, to allay their concerns, to express sympathy for them. Have politicians let the young people of India down?
Arjun Singh: Well, I myself called them. They all came in this very room.
Karan Thapar: But you are the only one.
Arjun Singh: You are accusing me only. No one else is being accused.
Karan Thapar: What about the Government of India? Has the Government of India failed to respond adequately?
Arjun Singh: From the Government of India also, the Defence Minister met them.
Karan Thapar: Only recently.
Arjun Singh: That is something because everyone was busy with the elections.
Karan Thapar: For seven weeks no one met them.
Arjun Singh: No, but we are very concerned. Certainly, all of us resent the kind of force that was used. I condemned it the very first day it happened.
Karan Thapar: All right, Mr Arjun Singh. We have reached the end of this interview. Thank you very much for speaking on the subject.

2006-05-14T00:52:00.000-07:00

How we came about

April 5, 2006 : The HRD minister Arjun Singh lets it out in the media that the govt. proposes to introduce reservations for OBC's by 27% in central universities, including IITs, IIMs, AIIMS, Delhi University, and many others.

Many of us on learning about this, must have felt a combination of grief, distrust, anger and betrayal. Many of us must felt cynical and dismissed it as yet another gimmick by yet another political party to garner votes.

However a group of Students in UCMS (University College of Medical Sciences) held a small meeting at the boy's hostel, to ponder over the situation. It was decided to create a forum which was tentatively named 'Youth for Equality'.

The same day, they then went to the people with whom they were most familiar, their friends in the 4 other Medical colleges of Delhi. All of them showed a similar feeling of resentment towards this reservation policy and the determination to do something about it.
Without any hesitation they immediately joined in.

Thus Youth for Equality was born with Students of UCMS, AIIMS, LHMC (Lady Hardinge Medical College), VMMC (Vardhman Mahavir Medical College) and MAMC (Maulana Azad Medical College) as its founding members.

Though at that time, we were probably driven by the idealism, passion and courage of youth, no one thought that we would one day be a nation-wide movement. The credit for that cannot go to us, or any single entity, but to every single person who supports us.

Since then we have been joined not only by the Medical fraternity of India at large, but also the IITs (who infact helped us develop this website), IIMs, science/art/law/engineering colleges all over India. Also parents, resident welfare associations and corporate bodies.

MAJOR EVENTS THAT MARKED OUR PRESENCE-

17th April - BLACK DAY held in all Delhi medical colleges to show solidarity on the issue.

19th April - Demonstration held at Raj Ghat. Over 700 medical students join in.

26th April - A peaceful protest was to be held in front of HRD minister's residence. Our buses were hijacked and taken to Jantar Mantar. AIIMS and UCMS managed to reach Tughlaq Road, but were carted off to Jantar Mantar after few hours. We waited at Jantar Mantar and gave a deadline to HRD minister to come and meet us. Deadline is not met and the students then marched peacefully on Janpath. Students are barricaded, water cannoned and tear gased. Event is covered prominently on major TV channels and print media.

27th April - Demonstration at INDIA GATE. HRD minister invites our representatives to talk. 5 representatives meet him. The minister delays his comments till state elections are over. The strike by students continues, though Interns and residents return to duties.

28th April- The fire has spread across the nation. Demonstrations in Bangalore, Amritsar,Ludhiana and Rajkot. Meanwhile students continue with demonstrations at India gate.

28th April - Press conference at AIIMS on behalf of Youth for equality. Youth for Equality appeals to all colleges in India to have peaceful protests in their respective cities, and support the cause.

2nd May - A HUGE MARCH from MAMC to Parliament Street. Students from engineering colleges,Delhi University,I.P. university, school students and even general public joined us in our protest.
A signature campaign was launched on a 50 metre long paper roll which was spread out on parliament street.

12th May - Close to a thousand students gathered at LHMC at 9 in the morning to continue their protests against extension of reservations. After learning that our "Hon'ble(?)" HRD Minister has refused to comment on the issue even after the elections were over, the students decided spontaneously to start a march. The students rushed out of the Gates of LHMC, dodging the police and RAF deployment and blocked the Connaught Place at several places. Then the students proceeded towards the historic India Gate lawns, dodging thousands of policemen and RAF deployed along the route. After Running for about twelve kilometres, the students managed to reach within half a kilometre of the corridors of power (North & South Blocks, & Rashtrapati Bhawan). There we sat down on the historic Rajpath to wait for a reply from the government. But then…..

13th May - MUMBAI: Peacefully protesting Students beaten up by police....SHAME! SHAME!
We all know what happened at Mumbai on 13th May. We saw it on our TV sets, read it in the papers, heard it on radio. We are all deeply anguished and our blood boiled when we saw scenes of how the Mumbai students were being beaten up.

The government had displayed its total apathy on the issue. It had been over 2 days after the election commission's restrictions were over and we were yet to hear an answer.

14th May - Indefinite strike announced by all Resident Doctors Associations of Delhi.
ALSO IMA (Indian Medical Association) both DELHI and MUMBAI chapters called for a 24 hour strike on 15th May. They asked both Govt and Private doctors to join the strike. We thank the IMA for their support.

Medical students of Delhi went on indefinite hunger strike at AIIMS.

Our hunger strike has continued since 14th May…….

138 had joined initially…. The number began decreasing after 3 days when students began to get ill….. those remaining continue to suffer as you read this….. we are proud of all those who still fight on to achieve the goals they had started out with.

The hunger strike has been joined by students of IIT and DU among others.

We have now been joined by various organisations and students all across India, and the movement against reservations and populist government policies grows in strength with each passing second.