Editorial - 12 Nov 2024 - Unmarked

Counting right
A caste survey will not automatically mean

higher quota for OBCs
Last week’s launch of a caste survey in Telangana by the

Congress government is a step towards fulfilling its 2023
Assembly poll promise. The survey may form the basis for
enhancing the quantum of reservation for Backward Classes
(BCs), going by the party’s election manifesto. At present, 112
communities under five categories of BCs enjoy a 29% quota
in education and employment, including 4% for socially and
educationally Muslim BCs. The survey is being undertaken at
a time when demand for such an exercise at the all-India level
is growing louder. In Tamil Nadu, an early mover in the area
of affirmative action for BCs, political parties have been
raising the issue though divided on whether the State or the
Centre should conduct the exercise. In poll-bound
Maharashtra, the Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi has
promised a caste-based census. The Rashtriya Swayamsevak
Sangh had stated that a caste census undertaken for the
welfare of the downtrodden was fine but the BJP is cold to the
idea. The Union government had also said that it had no
proposal to make caste data of the Socio Economic and Caste
Census 2011 public. In fact, in Karnataka, where most of the
work on a socio-economic and educational survey was done
about 10 years ago, the survey report has yet to be made
public despite the submission of the final report to Chief
Minister Siddaramaiah.
The idea of a caste-based survey is being floated as a prelude
to the automatic lifting of the Supreme Court’s ceiling of 50%
in reservation for OBCs, SCs and STs. In June, the Patna High
Court struck down two Acts in Bihar, envisaging enhanced
quantum in quota for BCs, Extremely BCs, SCs and STs in
education and government jobs. The Nitish Kumar
government had carried out a caste survey prior to enacting
the laws. The High Court had emphasised the principle of
adequate representation while striking down the laws. In the
case on 10.5% internal quota for Vanniyars within the Most
BCs of Tamil Nadu, the Supreme Court had upheld the Madras
High Court’s conclusion that the reservation to the
community under the 2021 Act was based on “antiquated
data”. Compilation and presentation of data would not
mechanically pave the way for any increase in the quantum,
let alone breaching the 50% cap. Analysis of features such as
poverty, caste, occupation and location of residence should
justify any move to increase the quantum. Besides, as in
Article 16(4), only those communities inadequately
represented in the public services can be given job quota. No
political party should create an impression that a caste
census will lead to increased OBC reservation. The Centre
should also limit the ceiling of annual parental income in
determining the creamy layer among OBCs. Else, only the
most advanced sections among BCs will continue to corner
the benefits of reservation.
Political meltdown
Germany seems set for an economic crisis amid
political instability
The collapse of German Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s coalition in

Germany last week has plunged Europe’s largest and a
recession-affected economy deeper into crisis. The three-
way coalition, involving Mr. Scholz’s Social Democrats,
Greens and pro-market Free Democratic Party, was
struggling for the past year to put up a united face amid
public differences. As the economic crisis worsened,
differences on a recovery also deepened, leading to
Chancellor Scholz sacking his Finance Minister, Christian
Lindner of the Free Democrats. While the Social Democrats
and the Greens supported more borrowing and public
spending to modernise and support industry and a shift
towards environmental energy, Mr. Lindner advocated lower
taxes and austerity measures. After Mr. Lindner’s firing, his
party colleagues quit the government. Infighting and
economic challenges had already turned the government
unpopular. All three parties in the coalition lost support in
recent months, while the Conservatives and the far-right
Alternative for Germany (AfD) saw a surge in opinion polls.
Now that he has lost parliamentary majority, Mr. Scholz will
have to depend on opposition parties to pass key policy
measures, including the budget for 2025, through the
Bundestag.
Mr. Scholz has so far resisted calls to face a vote of confidence
quickly. Reports are that his plan is to run a minority
government for a few more months. The Social Democrats
say a collapse of the government at a time of multiple
challenges would leave the country rudderless. But Mr.
Scholz clinging on to power, heading an unpopular, minority
government, is unlikely to resolve any of Germany’s critical
problems. The continuing war in Ukraine has hurt the
German economy, which is set to contract for a second
consecutive year. The country has also seen a large influx of
migrants in recent years — over six million in a decade —
which the far-right AfD has used to trigger panic in society
and drum up support for itself. And the return of Donald
Trump, who is sceptical of American support for Ukraine and
NATO’s role in general, is also a concern for Berlin. What
Germany has to do is to bring in a decisive shift in its Ukraine
policy, focusing on bringing the war to an end at the earliest
through talks. And it should also take measures to pump-
prime the economy and have policies to address the
immigration challenge in a humanitarian fashion. Mr. Scholz,
as a lame-duck Chancellor, is unlikely to take any decisive
measure. What he can do is to face a vote of confidence
immediately and prepare the country for snap elections.

Editorial - 12 Nov 2024 - Unmarked

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Editorial - 12 Nov 2024 - Unmarked

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Editorial - 12 Nov 2024 - Unmarked

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Counting right

A caste survey will not automatically mean

Last week’s launch of a caste survey in Telangana by the

The collapse of German Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s coalition in

You might also like