“Mandal Commission Report and Anti-Reservation Agitation”, Paper presented at the National Consultation on “Emerging Trends in Indian Politics” held at ECC, Bangalore, 22-24, February, 1991
Introduction: Since volumes have been written on this “controversial” subject which brought down the V.P. Singh govt. itself and enough discussions have taken place, I don’t want to go into what is already said but examine the sociological essence and consequence of this report and the violent agitation that rocked the latter part of the year -1990. The Govt. Order on the report is now before the Supreme Court and knowing the bias of the upper caste dominated judiciary in this country, we can easily forecast the outcome
A word of caution: I was closely associated with the preparation of the Mandla Commission. My name appears in the report itself. As a member of the national executive of the National Union of Backward Castes, New Delhi, | was intimately connected with all the agitations on the Mandal report. And as a correspondent of the Indian Express tor 25 years, | can also speak with authority on the heinous role © played by this so-called national press on the anti-reservation agitation. So, | speak from my experience and intimate connection with the country’s persecuted, deprived Scheduled Castes, tribes and Backward Castes, who form 65% of India’s population, plus the 20% religious minorities. Some of my statements may, therefore, hurt the ruling class but they are all historical truths and sociological facts, echoing the feelings of the oppressed, the victims of the ruling class violence. So, mine is a view from the bottom. Hence, I request you to have an open mind keeping aside the prejudices, if any, created in your mind by the Upper caste media, | want to say with full responsibility that the Mandal Commission Report is not only scientifically prepared but also most acceptable to the largest number of our population. Over 85% of the country’s 850 million population is happy over the report. This can be judged from the fact that no political party, not even the Hindu Nazi party, had the courage to openly criticize the report. The Congress Party which opposed the report was defeated in the latest district council elections in Kerala,
V.P. Singh used Mandal to fight Devi Lal: Some people said that Prime Minister V.P. Singh did not implement the report out of love for the Backward Castes. A person cannot suddenly develop a love for the have-nots. He had a quarrel with Dy. Prime Minister Devi Lal and so he used the Mandal Report to fight Devi Lal. That is all. The eristics of V.P. Singh say that he had selfish motives. But this criticism Is by the opponents of the Mandal Report. In other words, upper castes. But we the beneficiaries of the Mandal Commission will not make such a charge. A hungry man eats whatever is given. He will not go into the motives of the giver. It is only ‘the well-fed upper castes who go into such hair-splitting argument.
BCs taken for a ride: Even against such a truncated, Dalit Voice mutilated Mandal some upper castes went to the Supreme Court which immediately obliged the upper castes and gave a stay. A five-judge bench headed by the Chief Justice, who is noted for his orthodox views, is currently hearing the writ petitions which are argued by a battery of lawyers headed Palkhiwala, the topmost lawyer India’ s top income tax payers. Or evaders? The upper castes celebrated the Oct. 1, 1990 Supreme Court stay by bursting crackers outside the court hall and distributing sweets. It is a victory for the upper castes and a temporary defeat for SC/ST/BCs and minorities. But VP Singh, who has: now emerged as the unquestioned hero for the SC/ST/BCs and Muslims, has already undertaken tours of the different States and even our pronouncedly anti-Mandal newspapers have admitted that SC/ST/BCs and Muslims are with V.P. Singh and if an election is held today, he would sweep the polls. The latest Kerala district council elections in which anti-Mandal parties were crushed proves which way the wind is blowing. That is why Chandrashekar’s anti-Mandal govt. and its godfather Congress are afraid of the general election.
Mandals and Bandlas: So, the country is today divided into two neat camps. And we have named-these camps as (1) Mandals (2) and Bandlas. Mandals are 85% and Bandlas are less than 15%. This is a very healthy division. SC/ST/ BCs, the original inhabitants of India, are on one side. The upper caste Aryan invaders on another side. Of course, _ with minor exceptions and exceptions, only prove the rule. V.P. Singh has become India’s first Prime Minister to bring about such a beautiful polarization of social forces. And we call this “social engineering”.
Emphasis shifts from religion to jati: The violent agitation launched by upper castes in some North Indian cities has helped us to understand one thing: – that the Mandal social engineering made us witness a major transformation in society. The violent agitation was a great blessing in disguise. What we witnessed (between Aug. – Dec.1990) was a sort of mini-revolution. All the hidden hypocrisies came out. Our so-called “intellectuals got exposed. Our so-called “national press” has proved anti-national. Mandal has also proved that we have only a jati press, jati judiciary, jatilegal system, jati political parties, jati intellectuals. The upper castes all these years were talking about “nation”, “national unity” and “integrity”. Later they shifted their emphasis from nation to their religion. Today, they don’t speak even about their religion. They are worried only about their jati (caste). To put it more scientifically in sociological terms, to them their Aryan race (varnashrama dharma) became more important than the entire 850-million population of India. This has helped us to understand that the anti-Mandal agitation is to preserve the hated caste system and the laws of Manu that protect it. To a Hindu, his jati is more important than his religion. Because, Hinduism is built on the solid bedrock of caste.Remove caste, the so-called Hindu religion collapses. The Mandal agitation has helped us understand that a Hindu loves his caste (jati) more than his religion. Because, caste brings the upper castes so much of privileges, posts and powers. It also helps them to enslave the rest. We must, therefore, thank Mandal for exposing all this humbug. We have to also thank Mandal that this hidden racism in India has come to the surface. And this racism is given the mask of “merit and efficiency”. In the name of these two things, the upper castes have been practicing their colonialism. Small minds may criticize these welcome social convulsions. But these very same small minds admired and praised the breakup of the Soviet Union, Eastern Europe. hey welcomed social convulsions outside India but when it. happens in India, they hate it. Caste wars should be welcomed, because that is the only way to cleanse the stinking, stagnant cesspool that is India. Only the churning of the ocean produced Amrit. V.P. Singh might have lost his chair a churning the ocean but in fact he won the hearts of the millions of the oppressed. What he produced might have become poison to the upper caste rulers but we the oppressed welcome it as Amnit. / Will even go to the extent of saying that India’s road to socialism lies through caste wars because in India “caste is class”. Since the Aryan Varna castes, in other words racists, are not prepared to concede our human rights assured in the Constitution in the shape of “reservations” without resorting to violence, the awakened original inhabitants of India, who have the support of the Constitution of India, will fight it out in the streets. So, what is going on today is a battle between the Constitution of Manu (Manu dharma shastra) and the Constitution framed by our leader and savior Babasaheb Ambedkar, whom we call the Father of our Nation.
Greatest objection against Mandal: The greatest objection against the Mandal report is that it has taken “caste” as the sole criterion. Such people are speaking without knowing the facts. Mandal has adopted three different yardsticks, social, education and economic. Please see page 52 of the I part of the Report. If the upper castes critics of the report want to think that Mandal has “over-emphasized caste”, it is because the BCs wall need to be the least educated and the “poorest”. The problem with anti-Mandal racists (Bandals) is that they have not read the Mandal Report. It is on this basis that in Karnataka it has included the entire rural Vokkaligas and 42 sub-castes among Lingayat’s. That means about 30% of Lingayat’s are BCs. What a beautiful report. That is why there is hardly any opposition in Karnataka: Even in Maharashtra, there is no opposition because Kunbis are included among BC. Even Muslims, Christians and Sikh’s are included, making it a secular document. fact, by uniting 85% of the people of India, Mandal has strengthened the national unity and integrity. If this is true those opposing Mandal are trying to destroy the country’s unity and integrity.
Economic criterion: The Constitution of India (Art. 15(4 and 16(4) under which. reservations to BCs are made speaks only of “socially and educationally BC citizens”. It does not refer to “economic backwardness”. I don’t know from where the advocates of “economic criterion” get their brainwave, for your information during Nijalingappa’s Chief Minister ship in Karnataka reservations on the basis of “economic backwardness” were tried and it was discontinued because it proved to be impractical. Because those who could afford to pay the bribe to the Tahsildar or those having influence got the certificate as “economically backward”. That means all the rich became “economically backward”. Judging by the country’s scale of corruption, “economic yardstick” is simply unworkable and it will be disastrous. “Economic backwardness”, therefore, the “Bandals” have their “national press” in their pocket. And through this “national press” they are trying to mesmerize us saying those who advocate “economic criterion” are in a majority in India. fly the “Bandals” are in “majority, why they took to violence and launched caste wars against the innocent SC/ST/BC lambs? If they have the majority, they can force a midterm election, solely on the “economic criterion” and get the Constitution amended and make poverty and “merit” as the sole yardstick for job reservations. We “Mandals” want peace. We are interested in the country’s unity and integrity. So, we are prepared to face the mid-term poll to make “merit” as the sole criterion. Are the “Bandals” ready? No. that is why they are postponing elections. Truth and justice are not with the “Bandals”. SC/ ST/BCs and the religious minorities believe in democracy and peace. In the anti-Mandal agitation, it was the upper castes who took to violence. Our people were the victims of violence. Dalit Voice was burnt in Delhi. I had to face serious trouble. We did not burn anybody. We did not destroy buses and trains. lot was the advocate of Ahimsa who took to violence. During the anti-Mandal violence, it was they who defied the Constitution. Even after the Supreme Court gave a stay (Oct.1, 1990) and called for peace, it was these people who refused to stop violence. hey continued the violence even after the stay. But our people were non-violent before the stay and after the stay. ‘t was the upper castes who took to violence and expressed no confidence in democratic methods. Is this not a sure sign of fascism?
Are Hindus the “majority community” of India? Hindu Nazi parties say India is a “Hindu country” and that SC/ST/ BCs are all Hindus. They say Buddhists are Hindus, Sikhs are Hindus. Everybody is a Hindu in India except Muslims, Christians and Parsees. Over 85% of Indian population is Hindu. If this Nazi claim is correct, why the Hindus are opposing the Mandal? If SC/ST/BCs are their brothers, who these Hindu brothers are opposing our human rights? SC/ ST/BCs are kicked, killed, burnt, type, their little property destroyed not by Muslims, not by Christians, not by Sikhs. They are persecuted by Hindus Be This should remove ail our doubts that Hindus and SC/S [/8Cs are not brothers. They are racially different. Hindus are Aryans and SC/ST/ – BCs are pre-Aryans-Dravidas and Adi-Dravidas. So, the anti-Mandolists are Aryans, foreigners and “Mandals” are original inhabitants of India. “Mandals” love India’s unity and integrity. This is the reason for the clash of interests which are covered in high-sounding Palkhiwala platitudes. The Anti-Mandal agitations were not the first Aryan caste war against the original inhabitants of India after. “Independence.” Gujarat witnessed two caste wars. Maharashtra witnessed one. Bihar and UP had one each. This war between the two did not start now. The Adi- Shankara’s violent wars against Buddhists was the first major war.
Caste rules India. Chief Ministers, judges, Governors, Vice- Chancellors, everything is selected on the basis of caste. The one and the only qualification of Rajiv Gandhi to become PM is that he is from the Nehru family. Archaka posts are given only to a Brahmin in all Govt. managed temples. Brahmins, who oppose Mandal because it made caste the sole criterion, have no objection to caste as the sole criterion for archaka post. See their double-standards. That means whenever caste is advantageous, they want “caste criterion” and whenever “economic criterion” is advantageous they want that. That means they want to eat the cake and have to too. This can no longer be tolerated.
A caste last ditch battle to save caste. They want caste because if brings them so much of pleasure, power, position, privileges and posts – of course without doing any work.
Palkhiwala’s two-nation theory: Then we have our great rich man’s lawyer Palkhiwala saying Mandal has divided the country into two nations. If there is a truth in this charge, why there was no anti-Mandal agitation in South India? Does he consider South India as part of India? Tamil Nadu, AP, Karnataka have 50 to 68% reservations. Did not the upper castes accept the reservations here? Why there was no agitation in West Bengal, Assam, Gujarat or Maharashtra? Palkhiwala is wrong. However, Palkhiwala is right that Mandal has divided the country into Savarna and Averna. The avarnas are 85%, and Savarna’s are 15%. Itis this 15% Savarna’s who are opposing Mandal. They are also demanding a separate homeland for Savarna’s. We are ready to concede their demand. Instead of this daily mindless violence, it is better to be separate but equal. We have to actually thank Mandal that for the first time, it has made our people, the SC/ST/BCs, realize that it is Hindus (upper casts) who are opposing our human rights — because we are not Hindus. Mandal, therefore, was a great blessing. In fact, the Mandal brought down the edifice of “Hindu unity” crumbling down. “Mandals” on one side and “Bandals” on _ the other side. It is this collapse of the Hindu ae that forced Advani to launch his Toyota Rath Yatra. The “Mandal” forced the Masjid agitation. It was a beautiful polarization. Mandal decision was not sudden: The other charge is that VP Singh has Ee ae plumped for Mandal without consultation or consensus. This is wrong. Every part of this deal is part of a long drawn struggle. lt began with the Kaka Kaleka Commission. Parliament had held three debates on the Mandal. The report was submitted in 1980. There were hundreds of agitations, conferences during the past 4.0 years. |had courted arrest at least three times on Mandal. Addressed scores of conferences. Hundreds of MPs had submitted signed petitions to PM. Mandal was implemented after good deal of discussion and hence perfectly democratic. Every political party including the Nazi party has included Mandal in its manifesto. How can anybody say that VP took a nas decision? Those who say this are prejudiced against SC/BCs and minorities. And prejudice is a mental disease. And those suffering from mental disease have to be taken to mental hospital. Merit, my foot: Another funny argument of the ant reservationists is that reservations will affect “merit and efficiency”. We are tired of replying to this stupid argument. Justice Krishna lyre has replied to this charge in his judgement, the full text of which is reproduced in my book, edit, My foot, Dalit (Sahitya Akademy, 1988, Rs.8). But even Justice lyer’s sympathies extends only up to SC/ST. When it comes to BGs, his sympathy dries up. India was ruled by the “merited: only: During the past 45 years or so we were ruled only by the “merited” upper castes who claim “merit” as their sole monopoly. Of our eight Prime Ministers, all belonged to upper castes. Of this, four were Brahmins. All the top positions are occupied by them. All decision-makers are upper castes. All of you know it. It is a fact. So this country managed by the upper caste “meritocrats” should have been on the top of the world. But the fact is it has become a beggar nation. A laughing stock. We are at the bottom. In every sphere, every sector we are at the bottom. That means 45 years of “merited” rule is responsible for this. What is the use of this “merit and advanced the same argument to deny “home rule” to India. They said Indians have no brains. They said India will ‘go to Goes if India is given independence. At that time, B.G. Tilak, M.K. Gandhi and others said: “We Indians prefer self-rule to efficient British rule:. Bengali Muslims revolted against Punjabi “merit” and formed Bangladesh after a bloody war. The same argument applies to SC/ST/BCs. These people constitute 65% of India’s population. Together with religious minorities, they become 85%. This 85% of the people say they want to rule. They say we will not accept the upper caste rule. Their argument is perfectly democratic. India will be torn to pieces if the identities and dignities of the different segments of this country are not respected. Please learn lessons from the breakup of Soviet Union. Reservations is the most well established, constitutionally accepted principle to pull up a socially submerged group. In America, Blacks have reservations and the Supreme Court of America has accepted it. Reservations means human rights. Every section of the population has its human rights including the Brahmins, but in proportion to their population. We are prepared to concede the human rights of every section. Conclusion: Reservations therefore is part our human rights movement. V.M. Tarkunde, father of the Indian human rights movement, despite being a Maharashtrian Brahmin, supported Mandal because reservations are our human rights movement. Reservations are not given on the basis of poverty. Every section is entitled to human rights on the basis of its ethnic identity. That means those who oppose reservations are opposed to human rights. In other words those who oppose human rights are anti-human. Human rifts (reservations) are given not on the basis of poverty. They are given because a particular section is entitled to its human rights. Many people joined this anti-Mandal madness without understanding things. | am not referring to the pee CeCe mental cases — those who committed those fake self-immolation. | am referring to the prejudiced “intellectuals”. | am referring to the many BCs and minorities who joined these agitations. They joined the agitation because the govt. did not prepare the ground to sow the seeds of Mandal. This is where Periyar EV Ramaswamy succeeded in TN, Devraj Urs succeeded in Karnataka but VP failed in North. VP wanted to use Mandal as a political stick. Mandal is part of the human rights movement of the SC/ST/BCs and minorities. It is not a political game. It is part of a great socio-cultural experiment which are described as “social engineering”. It needs great minds to lead such a movement. Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, Periyar EV Ramaswamy, and Dr. Lohia became the three greatest minds of India because they led the human rights: movement of the deprived. If VP wants to join this galaxy of great souls, he must not play politics with Mandal but take it as an exercise in social engineering. If so, he will become the greatest Prime Minister that India has produced. Suggestion to Supreme Court: The Supreme Court is now seized of the Mandal report. According to judicial norms, the Court should be not only be impartial but “appear impartial”. But the five-judge bench is completely upper caste. And hence the 85% of the Indians will not be wrong if they get the impression that the Supreme Court, to which © we have the highest respect and reverence, that it does not “appear impartial”. For this we have a suggestion. It can coopt judges belonging to SC/ST/BC and Muslims from High Courts and reconstitute the bench. Otherwise, there is a chance of the bench coming out with an anti-Mandal verdict.
