AP's Minority Quota Muddle
Venkatesha Babu -
Wednesday, August 06, 2008 11:42 AM
While the Supreme Court has for the moment allowed Andhra Pradesh government to provide admission in educational institutions, based on religion, pending final outcome of cases in this regard, the state government should not feel jubliant. The AP government under Y S Rajashekar Reddy has tried to divide society on the basis of religion. While nobody contests that sections of the minority are extremely backward both educationally and financially, making religion the criteria for reservations and perferential treatment is retrogade. Such move will play into the hands of purveyors of fear within majority community. Even sections of Muslims have opposed the move to be labeled backward or to be provided reservations on that basis.
The YSR government had earlier said it would provide financial aid to Chrisitan pilgrims travelling to Israel. Why should government — state or centre — be spending money on subsidising travel to Manas Sarovar, Holy Land or the Haj ? Shouldn't government be spending tax payer's money on infrastrcture, education, helathcare and other mundane but critical requirements. This is one of the reasons why in a earlier post I said that education should be taken out of government clutches. The problem with India has been too much of religion and too little of development. What do you think ?