Quota rules

Social justice, the profound political jargon of early nineties is back in currency. The Congress government, which strangely sat over the Mandal commission report for over 10 years, has certainly found a new saviour in Arjun Singh, the 21st Century Mandal. The much-trumpetted social justice wagon is all set to roll over meritocracy and let loose a new regime of divisive politics. Last time, it was the Congress government which had to bear the brunt of its veiled opposition to the quota system. This time it's the same Congress vigorously riding the social justice horse. Facing the threat of being dislodged from power, the GOP is now trying to strike a social chemistry which can catapult it to power again. Having committed constitutional hara-kiri in many states, including Jharkhand, Bihar and Goa, and with many of its top leaders involved in corruption cases, the party is hoping that providing 27 per cent reservation to OBCs in higher education institutes will help it regain power. With the BJP falling to its own internal bickerings, the party, sensing that the electorate is in no mood to succumb to the passions of communal politics, doesn't see a tough competitor in the saffron party. It forsees that a major chunk of BJP voters, traditionally Congress sympathisers, are returning to it. The Congress now wants to win back those voters who have strayed to regional parties. And thus the OBC card. But, then the traditional upper castes voters will again go back to the BJP. The GOP is clearly not worried about its traditional voters deserting it for now it believes that democracy is a numbers game. A combination of Dalit, Muslim and OBC votebank can safely see the party home. The whispers of introducing reservation in private sector jobs may now get louder. The party has armed itself with the quota weapon to gear up for a mid-term poll. And we should be ready for Congress browbeating its allies.