Reconsider caste structure
Sir, the Gurjar's anger should be a wake up call to our politicians and governments. Nobody can dispute the fact that unchanged basis of granting reservations in the last 55 years has created big imbalance. Our fathers of the Constitution had limited the period of reservations to 10 years. Even if the successive governments thought it right to extend the period, it should have been with restrictions.
Unrestricted benefit of reservation for such a long time means that 80 per cent beneficiaries are not economically weak or backward. Those who qualified to be ST 60 years back, perhaps may not qualify today. The solution lies in having a fresh look to the caste structure.
Bhartendu Sood
Chandigarh

Permanent vote-banks
Sir, The Meenas have reaped rich benefits out of reservation in the last 57 years. It may be easier to calculate how far individuals have progressed in a specific period of time using the welfare benefits, but the same can’t be done with a large community. Caste groups can never be uplifted for the simple reason that they remain backward as they are called backward. In other words they remain permanent vote-banks which also means they destroy the unity of the country through partisan politics.
Deepa Iyer
Veraval, Gujarat

Gurjars in Catch - 22
Sir, Nobody denies that the malaise of social inequality exists even today. But reservation only adds to the problem instead of solving it. The same unpleasant truth was revealed when there was a strong opposition to removal of creamy layer from the benefits of reservation. No segment of society is homogeneous. Predictably the objection came from the creamy layer of OBCs. The Gurjars are now sandwiched between the politically and socially strong Jat OBCs and the “privileged” upper-section Meena STs.
K Suresh
Bangalore

A national problem
Sir, The trouble in Rajasthan has assumed a serious proportion to be considered as a national issue. Perhaps, this should serve as a good eye opener to the state governments and the Centre and make them realise that the present reservation policy is flawed and isn't trickling down to the poorest of the poor. It is hoped that good sense will prevail at all levels and the entire reservation policy will be reviewed and justice is meted out to the needy, irrespective of caste, creed and religion.
J N Mahanty
Puri

 Mankind greedy!
Sir, This refers to the feature on tigers (Sunday Herald, June 3). The pictures and the feature brought tears in animal lovers, who can only avoid reading about or witnessing such gory incidents, because we can do jolly little to save our mother earth. Lovers of nature and mother earth are getting fewer and fewer. The biggest mistake of nature probably was to create humankind with six senses. No other being in nature is as cruel, greedy and selfish as man.
Sudha Narasimhachar
Bangalore

 Cong deserves defeat
Sir, The Goan electorate braved the rains and exercised their franchise in the Assembly elections to ensure the defeat of the corrupt, casteist and communal Congress. It was a clear vote against the rampant corruption and administrative chaos. The people seemed determined to teach the Congress a lesson for, looted the state and destroyed Goa's social and cultural identity.
Aires Rodrigues
Goa