MyVoice: Views of our readers 18th June 2025
Politicians nurture caste-based vote banks
Apropos 'Kamandal to Mandal, politics takes a new direction' (Hans India; June 17), I wish to state that politicians have conveniently adopted caste as a lucrative commodity to garner votes, just like religion. Caste-based reservation is an offshoot of this. Reservation, if at all, must be made available solely on economic grounds, rather than caste and faith.
Isn't it truly unfair for a Brahmin languishing in penury to be denied government support through reservation just because he belongs to an 'upper caste', while a filthy rich Christian and Muslim continues to enjoy the fruits of reservation as they belong to a 'scheduled caste or a scheduled tribe'? Does any party or person have the political will to bell the cat?
Dr. George Jacob, Kochi
Cong should learn from Centre's national census
In response to the 'Kamandal' to Mandal, politics takes a new direction; (THI, June 17), the new mantra of caste politics as adopted by the Congress is to make it a part of the general census, which, incidentally, has been accepted as norm by the government. Inherently, the fever of caste census promoted by the Congress in Telangana and Karnataka, where it is in power, did not relevantly reflect the caste percentages as the focus was on OBCs while the ST/SC communities have already been enjoying the advantages of quota, elbowing other similar categories to enter the fray.
The Karnataka caste survey proved a disappointing experience for the ruling party that wants to pander to the Lingayat and Vokkaliga entities. The Central exercise to go for a national census is a logical step as it is without the wicked politics being indulged in the Congress, and its allies.
K R Venkata Narasimhan, Madurai
Tackling outbreak of diarrhoea in Odisha
Apropos THI's news items in Visakhapatnam (Odisha edition on June 16 and 17), it is laudable that the district administration is tackling outbreak of diarrhoea on a war-footing. It is indeed heartening that they have closed eateries, water supplies and meat outlets besides treating patients and referrals as per the immediate requirements. Jeypore has a large floating population from the adjoining Koraput district covering Lamtaput, Onakadelli, Machkund and Govindapalli the surroundings of which is a large tribal population. They live on the remote hillocks under inhospitable circumstances.
They visit the weekly market at Onakadelli every Thursday and then throng the Genco Hospital. In emergency cases, they bring the patients to the hospital and if necessary, arrange transportation to Lamtaput Mission or the government hospital, or Jeypore and at times to Visakhapatnam. In this context, the administration can undertake surveillance by way of medical camps in all the sensitive villages, and village marketplaces. Cleanliness drive is a must and all staff including teachers and anganwadis may be deployed in sensitive areas. Deploying a BSF team in the vicinity will come in handy in addressing the issue. Hopefully, the latest diarrhoea outbreak will be managed effectively and on a priority basis.
Dr T Ramadas, Visakhapatnam
Centre notifies 2027 population Census
Compelled by the constant and consistent demand of the Congress party and its allies for a caste census, the NDA government finally gave in and announced a programme for the same in 2027. The Congress party is making an all-out effort to return to power at the Centre. Towards this, it is raking up the caste census issue, only with the ulterior motive of dividing the Hindu community in the country on caste-lines. It has been toeing the British legacy of 'divide and rule' that has helped the party to rule the country for over four decades. The double standards being employed by the Congress party in states where it is in power is getting exposed. Upper caste politicians still rule the roost while denying others (BCs in particular) their share of power within the government!
Though the NDA is compelled to take up caste census, it is also not expected to take up caste-based distribution of political power, as it is against caste-based reservations in education, employment and politics. It has been advocating reservations on economic backwardness irrespective of caste, creed and religion. For this a constitutional amendment is necessary and for that it needs a 2/3rd majority in the parliament, which it lacks as of now! It is now a tricky question for NDA, which has officially announced the census programme. All said and done, the Congress' ploy is working out. It would be interesting to see which outfit ultimately reaps political mileage out of it.
Govardhana Myneedu, Vijayawada
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
NDTV
29 minutes ago
- NDTV
RSS Leader Calls For Debate On Words "Socialist", "Secular" In Preamble
New Delhi: Dattatreya Hosabale, the general secretary of the BJP's ideological mentor Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, today said the fate of two words in the preamble of the constitution - "Socialist" and "Secular" -- should be decided through debate. "During Emergency, two words Secular and Socialist were added to the Constitution, which were not part of the original Preamble," Mr Hosabale said at an event organised on 50 years of the Emergency. "Later, these words were not removed. Should they remain or not, debate must happen on this. These two words were not in Dr Ambedkar's Constitution. During Emergency, the country had no functioning Parliament, no rights, no judiciary and yet these two words were added." On the occasion, he also took a jibe at the Congress, and without naming him, its senior leader Rahul Gandhi. "The people who did this (imposed Emergency) are roaming around with copies of the Constitution today. They have, to date, not apologised to the people of India for this," he said. "You put more than 1 lakh people in jail, kept more than 250 journalists in jail, violated fundamental rights, and forced 60 lakh Indians to undergo sterilisation... You ended the independence of judiciary. Have all the people who did this apologised to the country? If it was not you but your ancestors, then you have to apologise in their name," he added. The BJP's move to name the 50th anniversary of Emergency -- - imposed by the government of the Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in 1975 -- as the "Samvidhan Hatya Divas (Murder of Constitution Day)", has opened a new front with the Congress. The two parties have been again at loggerheads since yesterday, with leaders from JP Nadda to Union home minister Amit Shah ripping into the Congress. The Congress has responded sharply in face of the concerted BJP attack . "Those who never contributed to the freedom struggle or constitution-making are now claiming to defend it," said party chief Mallikarjun Kharge. "PM Modi is repeatedly invoking a period that the country has moved past. He is making an issue out of something that people have already forgotten," he had added. Apart from BJP-backed programmes in various states, the Union Cabinet adopted a resolution to honour the sacrifices of those who resisted Emergency. The ministers also observed two-minute silence against the excesses committed back then.
India Gazette
29 minutes ago
- India Gazette
"Caste is one factor, but not the only factor": Prashant Kishor on Bihar's voting behaviour
Patna (Bihar) [India], June 26 (ANI): Ahead of the upcoming Assembly Elections in Bihar, Jan Suraaj Party chief Prashant Kishor said that caste is not the only factor in the Bihar polls. In an interview with ANI, replying to the question of caste politics in Bihar, Prashant Kishor cited Prime Minister Narendra Modi's success in the Lok Sabha polls in Bihar as an example, arguing that caste is not the only poll plank. The Jan Suraaj Party chief said, 'In Bihar, for the past 15 years, the BJP has been getting a lot of success in the Lok Sabha elections. Most people believe that the BJP is not getting success, it is voting in the name of PM Modi.' 'You said that every person in Bihar votes on caste based politics. And in Bihar, you are saying that a vote is being made in the name of Modi. So, tell us how many people live in Bihar who belong to Modi's caste? And if they don't live, then how did they vote for Modi? If every person is voting on caste, then tell us who voted for PM Modi in Bihar? Because there is no one from Modi's caste in Bihar,' he told ANI. Kishor added, 'This means that people have voted in the name of PM Modi, apart from their caste. Whether they do it in the name of Hinduism, for Hindu-Muslims, for Ram Mandir, for development or nationalism, it is a different issue. But they are not doing it in the name of caste.' Taking former Bihar Chief Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav's example, he said that there is an M-Y (Muslim-Yadav) classification in Bihar, where even the Muslims vote for Lalu Yadav even though they do not belong to his caste. Kishor told ANI, 'Look at Lalu. People say that in Bihar, there is an M-Y classification. So Y is his caste is M-Muslim. 18% are Muslims. He (a Muslim voter) is not of Lalu's caste. Why does he vote for Lalu? He doesn't vote because he is of a caste, but because he can't vote for the BJP. He votes for Lalu out of fear. So, caste is one factor. But caste is not the only factor.' Bihar elections are expected to be held later this year in October or November; however, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has not yet announced the dates. While the NDA, consisting of the BJP, JD(U), and LJP, will once again be looking to continue their stint in Bihar, the INDIA bloc, consisting of the RJD, Congress, and left parties, will be looking to unseat Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. Prashant Kishor has presented his party, Jan Suraaj, as another alternative in the state. He announced that the party would contest in 243 seats. (ANI)
India Gazette
29 minutes ago
- India Gazette
Shashi Tharoor meets Deputy Chairman of Russian Federation Council in Moscow
Moscow [Russia], June 26 (ANI): Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, who is on a visit to Russia, met several top Russian leaders, including the Deputy Chairman of the Russian Federation Council (the Upper House) and also interacted with students. The Congress MP took to the social media platform X to share about his meeting with the Russian lawmaker. 'An excellent and remarkably candid discussion with Konstantin Iosifovich Kosachev, Deputy Chairman of the Federation Council (the Upper House). Ranged from #OperationSindoor to regional geopolitics and relations between our Parliaments. A first-rate exchange of views,' Tharoor posted. Shashi also interacted with Russian students who are studying about India and Indian students in Russia. In another post on X, Tharoor wrote, 'Enjoyed a ninety-minute interaction with some 150 Russians studying about India and Indian students in Russia. Their questions ranged from India-Pakistan relations to global neocolonialism and the risk of militarisation of space. A remarkable discussion which was recorded by @RT_com for likely broadcast in a couple of months. And when it concluded, i was gratified to find i had readers and fans even in Moscow! (The last pic features the Russian Edition of #TheFiveDollarSmile -- but the reader's smile is worth a lot more!)' Earlier on Wednesday, Tharoor met Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and several other Russian lawmakers. Tharoor posted on X, 'Good to catch up with old friend Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on the sidelines of the #PrimakovReadings in Moscow.' He further said, 'Enjoyed catching up with old friend Andrey Denisov, former Russian Ambassador to the @UN and to China , and now the First Deputy Chair of the Committee on International Affairs of the Russian Federation Council.' (ANI)
