The alacrity with which political parties barring the Samajwadi Party have agreed on the supposed need for quota-based promotions for SCs and STs in government jobs is breathtaking. A Bill is to materialise once legal aspects of a required Constitution amendment are studied. The UPA regime's been uncharacteristically proactive, promising expeditious action. Meantime, note that consensus still eludes the goods and services tax (GST), which requires a constitutional amendment to go through as well. Originally scheduled for launch in 2010, the tax reform could miss its April 2013 deadline. There's no better proof of skewed priorities.
Politicians seem to have a meeting of minds only on initiatives they believe will deliver votes, irrespective of the harm these may do. And there's no denying the harm quota-based promotions will do. They'll prove socially divisive while promoting complacency, mediocrity and heartburn at workplaces. Tellingly, the SP's opposition isn't on any principled ground. The prospect of caste-based promotions going to dalits but not OBCs isn't kosher. So, we can soon expect similar demands for OBCs and minorities. Read more
Source : timesofindia.indiatimes.com
