Modi government’s decision to provide 10 per cent reservation in jobs and higher education for economically weaker section of the general category is likely to open a Pandora’s Box in the run-up to the Lok Sabha elections. The BJP has set the narrative and everyone is talking about it. The Modi government is all set to table a constitutional amendment today in Parliament. The bill almost looks set to be passed by Wednesday as the Congress and AAP have also offered their support to the bill. The historic amendment would be in line with Modi government’s policy of doing away with caste-based appeasement.
According to the Indian Express report, the reservation criteria in jobs include families belonging to the economically weaker section of the general category earning less than Rs 8 lakh per year across all religions, and those with farmland below 5 acres, residence less than 1,000 square feet. As for Urban areas, those having less than 100-yard plot in the notified municipal area, the plot below 200 yard in the non-notified municipal area will get the benefit of the reservation.
Entire Middle class is likely to be benefitted by this move.
This 10% quota is for general cast people who earn less than 8 lakh PA (66k PM). So almost all of middle class too is included! #Reservation #SavarnoKoSamman
— Vikas Pandey (Sankrityayan) Modi ji’s Family (@MODIfiedVikas) January 7, 2019
With the given eligibility criteria, almost 30 percent or 39 crores of the Indian population, will get the benefit of the 10 percent reservation announced by the Centre.
The 10 percent reservation announced by the centre will be applicable to economically backward among all the religions be it Hindus, Muslims, Christians etc. The criteria mean that the new quota move would have no impact on the reservation for SCs, STs and the OBCs.
The Times of India has quoted a senior minister saying, “This is a long-pending demand for 70 years. What we are doing is empowering the poor belonging to the so-called upper castes. A historical wrong is being corrected at nobody’s expense.”
According to the India Today report noted Dalit leader Kancha Ilaiah has welcomed Modi government’s decision and said that he had no problems with the pro-poor decision taken by the government.
The move is also seen as an attempt to pacify the members belonging to the general category after SC/ST Act row. It will help BJP to woo back angry upper caste voters and would provide impetus to consolidate its traditional upper caste voters in its favor ahead of crucial 2019 Lok Sabha elections.
Also read: Modi government gives nod to reservation for general category
Also read: With the decision on reservation, BJP has played a masterstroke months before 2019 General Elections
