Why in news?

• The Maharashtra government has decided to provide members of the Maratha caste with 16% reservation in education and state employment.

• This decision lacks sincerity of purpose.

What are the responses?

• The potential beneficiaries are anxious to see the implementation of the decision working in their favour with immediate effect.

• The state government, however, appears to be quite enthusiastic to claim credit for the decision and its implementation.

• It’s evident in state governor’s almost instant signature on the bill, the start of the Mahabharati (the mighty recruitment drive) program and issuing of caste certificates to members of the Maratha caste.

What are the issues on the state’s part?

• The government’s enthusiasm, however, lacks the moral force of sincerity.

• This is due to the fact that it has not been able to eliminate an element of uncertainty and legal indetermination that surrounds its decision to give the reservation.

• Thus, the state has failed to work out the reservation package with firm commitment supported by robust homework.

• It is quite possible to show that even today at least in some parts of Maharashtra, members of the Maratha caste do face social coercion that is internal to the coercive caste hierarchy.

• Thus, the decision itself was desirable, but the method by which the government arrived at it lacked procedural robustness that is required in order to uphold the constitutional basis of justice.

• As has been indicated by the directives of the Bombay HC, the government has not made public the report of the panel it appointed to look into the entire issue.

• Since this report is not publicly accessible, it is difficult to take for granted the government’s willingness to work out the basis that would place the reservation provision beyond the sphere of legal litigation.

What are the challenges?

• The demand for reservation in the private sector only suggests that the  state hardly has any capacity to create enough jobs within the government sector.

• In fact, the growing demand for jobs in various sectors is going to be a continuous social challenge that any government has to face in the coming years.

What lies ahead?

• The struggle for a secure and dignified life is not desired by the Maratha youth alone but by the youth in general.

• This kind of struggle involves a new beginning on the part of the struggling youth over whom no government can exert permanent control through promises or ill-worked-out policies.

• Such time-tested policies and provisions lacking proper thought and planning and hence credible response would suggest that the government is a victim of self-deception.