Indian Media Bash Blog

The debate has sharply polarised the groups between the haves and have nots. Predicatably, the professional heart bleeders have jumped to the cause of the “pro quota agitationists”. Media has exposed it’s biases by aligning with those in power.

All of them majorly agree that reservations is not the way out. The data on the exact percentage of the Other Backward Castes (OBC’s) is not reliably known; on the basis that this action has been taken. Government’s own National Sample Survey Organisation (NSSO) has disputed the exact numbers and hence the 27% reservation has no merit.

Agreed to a point that NSSO’s survey may be flawed by not being able to identify the sub castes and the methodology. However, in the absence of any other statistic, we have to rely on something that is already there. The latest figures wouldn’t be available till December end and we have to rely on the outdated 1999-2000 figures. Give or take a few percent, the OBC population cannot be expected to have “exploded” to cause any demographic shift and hence the 27% reservation.

Socialism is a fanatical cocept. It is appealing but destorys the very vitals of the society because it is not practised in it’s pure form. So far, it has given rise to a priveleged minorty who rule over us. This has given rise to the term, “vote bank politics”. The present “notional” democracy has made a mess of the affirmative action of the vast silent majority whose tax money is being squandered away for the benefit of few. While leaving with no scope for accountability. The powers that be keep it status quo because this is the only way we can be “ruled”.

The schism runs deeper. In politics, it isn’t the popularity that counts. It is the ability to manipulate the system for your own perverted benefits. This is this ability along with muscle and money power that gets a selected few to “enjoy” the power structure. This is the established norm in India because we as middle class, have not gone out to vote. Neither stood up to the goons to demand accountabilty. Someone like a Gawli or Shahbuddin can enter the same portals which makes laws to keep them in check; it speaks volumes about the ability to twist the system.

Keeping on the same theme of manipulation, the media also seeks to be a mouth piece of the same power structure. It is designed in a contorted way to supress the facts while highlighting the lies and repeating them ad nauseum to make it appear as “truth”.

Herein, the biases creep in. The same that I talked off earlier on in this post. The biases are intentional (mostly) because this is one way to be cosy up to the power structures. The list includes the who’s who of the “respected weeklies”, whose sales are fuelled by “exposing the dark secrets of celebrities” and whose “debates” would insult the intelligence of my labrador.

It is indeed alarming that chimps like these are allowed to run riot all over. They would just have to peep out of their power structures to face the reality.

It isn’t that reservations are not needed. Let them structure it the way that the benefits accrue to the last person in the lap race. However, the flawed policies have resulted in the divisions that threaten the social fabric of the entire nation.

Those who write in about the ‘disadvantaged” scarcely realise that reservations are seriously hurting the cause of the majority. On what grounds the “obc” needs to be admitted with lesser percentage than a “general category” student who has put in harder labour? This isn’t the story about doctors per se. Look at the huge Government structure. On what grounds should the SC/ST candidates be allowed preferential treatment for promotions? Or the reservations extended to their wards?

On what gorunds the reservations be given to thrid generation of “freedom fighters” or higher post graduation seats to “sportspersons”? Given the frigging dismal record of India’s sporting “glory”, is it justified to extend reservations to them?

On what grounds should the war widow’s wards be given preferential reservation in IIT’s/ IIM’s?

Merit is a specious argument. It is a relative term which cannot be quantified in real terms. In the past so many years, the IIT’s/ IIM’s donot figure anywhere on the top world rankings. There has been a steady decline in the number of citations in the scientific journals. So much so, that one Open Access Medical Journal (Public Library of Science) doesn’t even have an editor/ peer reviewer from India! The WHOLE of India.

Reservations would only shrink the existing pie and make matters worse for the ones who have to slog out without any crutches.

The media doesn’t have to go through all this and they speak from position of comfort. They can pull strings anyway or else…they have their own sphere of influence. Therefore it is easier to preach from an exalted status for whatever axes they have to grind.

Some idiots in the power structure have much louder say. Blogs unfortunately would remain limited in appeal/ reach. It might change for the future but this is the only way to counter the established interests.

Update:
This has been crossposted on Desi Critics.