India a country of democratic disputes!
On the 9th day of January 2019, the lower house of #Indian parliament, Rajya Sabha, passed India's first Non-Caste, Non-Religion, and Non-Tribe based reservation bill. The bill was presented in Rajya Sabha, earlier after, on 8th day of January 2019, the upper house of the parliament Lok Sabha had passed the #constitution amendment bill with 2/3 majority. With this the total percentage of reserved category went from 49.5% to 59.5%, meaning 59.5 jobs of 100 available jobs are reserved OR 59.5% of 100 available seats in a college are reserved.
Who voted in the favour and against the General Category Reservation Bill, 2019?
Out of the total 326 Lok Sabha members present in the parliament 323 Lok Sabha members voted in favour of the bill. The 3 Lok Sabha members who did not support this historic reservation bill include the staunch AIMIM member Asaduddin Owaisi who opposed the bill, saying it is a "fraud on the Constitution" as the Constitution does not recognise economic backwardness. The other two members were from RJD previously headed by Lalu Prasad Yadav (former Bihar chief Minister and Union Railway minister during the UPA regime). From 172 Rajya Sabha member 165 voted in the favour of the reservation bill while 7 voted against. Thus, the General Category Reservation Bill received a 95.93% vote in Rajya Sabha and 99% vote in Lok Sabha.
What is General Category Reservation Bill, 2019?
The historic general category reservation bill, 2018, is aimed at allowing the much frustrated middle class population easy access to Government Jobs and Education, irrespective of their religion, caste or tribe. Simply, if you are an Indian and fall under the economically deprived section (read below for eligibility) as per the definition of this bill, you are covered under the General Category #Reservation Bill, 2019. The reservation bill eligibility criteria are defined based on the family income and their land holdings. It is first of its kind Indian reservation bill where the eligibility criteria are defined based on financial condition of the family and not on their caste or religion. Following is the proposed eligibility of the General Category Reservation Bill, 2019.
What is the Eligibility of the General Category Reservation Bill, 2019?
People who earn less than 8 lakh per annum or 66,666 per month (not poor really).
People who own agricultural land below five acres (not poor again).
People who does not own a flat of 1000 sq ft or more, land of 100 yards in notified municipality area and 200 yards in non-notified area
Ironically, above 80% of India's population will be benefited from this reservation bill, Really!! 10% quota for 85% of the population. The bill did not talk about allowing nor not allowing already part of reservation quota to apply under this bill.
Interesting thing to know about General Category Reservation Bill, 2019.
80% of the Indian population comes under this bill, approximately 118 crore people.
The total reservation after General Category Reservation bill extends to 59.5%.
Can end the other caste and religion based rising demand of reservations from Jats, Muslims, Patidars (Patel), Vaishyas etc?
Bill will benefit 27 crores Indians below poverty line (people who earn less than INR 6997 per month as per world bank report).
Conclusion We all know its a politically motivated bill by BJP to woo poor section of upper caste or poor section among general category. I was looking for a bold step towards ending reservation and the politics of divide and rule but the political scenarios that has been built through 70 years now can only lead to such decision or probably this is just the beginning of end of reservation.