Equal Treatment of Unequals Perpetuates Inequality

Equal Treatment of Unequals Perpetuates Inequality (Tehelka.com)

Mr. Khaliq pointed out that Ambedkar has let India know on 26th January 1950 that " we were going to enter into a life of contradictions. In politics we will have equality and in Social and economic life we will have inequality." 

It is also important to point out that it was a very unique and bold step by the fathers of our constitution. They envisaged that one step will beget the other as Ambedkar also pointed out in the same speech that "If we continue to deny it(equality in social and economic life) for long, we will do so only by putting our political democracy in peril." This bold step was an experiment and the next steps were to be based on the success of the experiment. Unfortunately, this social experiment became a political game leading the democracy into one tussle after the other and today we witness another such confrontation being defended by Mr. Khaliq.

In management terms, the experiment has become an "escalation of commitment" and no one wants to call it off for the political stakes are too high at this point in time. It will take a lot to abandon it and think of fresh solutions.

The core to the solution of inequality is the elimination of the "Social Stigma" of "Untouchability". If reservations haven't eliminated this stigma in 62 years, how will it do in the next 60 years? Is there a clear road map through reservations (affirmative action)?

The "Social" dimension of this stigma needs to be eliminated and thus has to be fought in its own backyard. We have a divided society today because we propagate no intermixing of castes. This land which has given birth to so many religions propagates zero tolerance on inter religion marriages. A Jain marries a Jain, a Brahmin marries a Brahmin. The roots of the division lie in the simple social segregation of the castes through marriages.

Thus the solution lies in banding these islands into a single mass through intermixing. At an administrative level it has to be achieved with both a stick and a carrot -

1. Providing Financial support to couples entering into an alliance of a nature where on spouse belongs to a lower caste and the other to the upper.

2. A pension for the parents of the spouses.

3. Scholarships for the children of such spouses.

4. Health Benefits for the Spouses.

5. Insurance from LIC for the Spouses and their 2 children for 25 years each.

6. Promotion of Healthy competition among districts and states to achieve targets for the inter caste marriage registrations which can promote to the lowest level of a municipal corp-orator, an SHO, a health inspector or a school teacher. The States/Districts/Divisions need to be penalized by transfers of senior individuals which has the lowest 10% performance. Consistent poor performance or individuals of state/Division/District to lead to demotion of the staff at multiple levels.

7. Strong legislations resulting in long tenure of social service to lifetime imprisonment in cases of caste related violence.

These are just a few possible alternatives while we can think of more such together. Some have already found favour with a few states e.g. suggestion 1 has a working format in Punjab. 

In Brief, we need to be more constructive in our approach in uniting the society to create equality and not deepen the cut of caste into it.

Manish Saini