The slips are not innocents and when India’s Finance/Defense Minister talks about “carrot and stick” policy, we can surmise that it is the general policy of the RSS/BJP ideologues which they apply in the Governance and in gaining political weight.

This exactly what is being done with the backward classes in India. The backward classes (SCs, STs, and OBCs) are the largest shareholders in the Commonwealth of India as they constitute the majority of India’s population.

As a carrot, the RSS/BJP tries to co-opt a few leaders from them and gives them token posts. It promises to the STs that it will create “Tribal” museums to showcase their heroes. It tries to mollify the SCs by co-opting Babasaheb Ambedkar.

It promises the agitating OBCs several benefits, It does try to raise the competitive icons among the various communities, and pose them against each other. It tries to fit in the caste equations to ensure electoral gains.

At the same time, the RSS/BJP regime saw the abrogation of the “Reservation in Promotion” that came into being in 1997. It will lead to lack of representation for the SCs in the higher bureaucracy where the real executive decisions are taken. The CBDT has not seen any SC and ST member since last 30 years.

The RSS/BJP regime raised the creamy layer limit for the OBCs from 6 lakhs to 8 lakhs. The RSS/BJP had done next to nothing to address the issues of the several backward classes.

Author – Mangesh Dahiwale, Human Rights Activist