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Exclusion of creamy layer welcome

The article “Creamless quota: SC ruling throws up many questions” by V. Eshwar Anand is timely (April 14). The exclusion of creamy layer would help more number of OBCs to enjoy the benefit of reservation. But the ground reality is that the reservation revolves around only a small proportion of people who essentially constitute the creamy layer and the really deserving mute populace is unable to come forward because it is unable to compete with the privileged class which constitutes the creamy layer.

More important, reservation should be only at one step (for admission or job) and for one generation only. The overall objective should be to provide quota to the maximum proportion of economically and socially disadvantaged classes, eliminate disparities within a specific timeframe and not perpetuate quotas to consolidate the vote banks.

MADAN MOHAN, Palampur (HP)

II

The Supreme Court ruling will help the needy sections among the OBCs. However, with the passage of time, the creamy layer must have swelled considerably by now and will compete with the general category for whom the competition, as a result, would become tougher. Therefore, to meet the ends of justice, the 27 per cent quota should be reduced from the current academic year followed by yearly renewal instead of after five years as suggested by the apex court.

Moreover, those having annual income of Rs 2.5 lakh belong to the upper middle class. This limit should be brought down to Rs 1.8 lakh, i.e. having an average monthly income of Rs 12,000 to which a majority among the open category belong.

Further, the apex court should have explicitly stipulated the cut off date to end quotas once and for all. For, political parties want quotas in perpetuity.

D.K. AGGARWALA, Hoshiarpur

III

No one would grudge the apex court ruling on the OBC quota. But I would like to know from the votaries of the Central Educational Institutions (Reservation in Admission) Act, 2006 to let us know to what extent the five-decade-old quota system for the SCs/STs has improved their standards.

Instead of championing the cause of reservation, the Centre and the states should evolve ways to help the backward classes with necessary infrastructural support to improve their standards. Let them compete on merit and hold their heads high rather than walking with the crutches of reservation.

MULTAN SINGH PARIHAR, Jalari (Hamirpur)

IV

Had the creamy layer concept been applied to the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes as well, the standards of 50 per cent of them would have been much better today. It is common knowledge how the rich and the powerful, belonging to the creamy layer, admit their children in costly schools and colleges. How can they equate themselves with the poor and less disadvantaged sections and demand quota?

I would humbly submit that despite the apex court judgement, economic backwardness and not caste should be the criterion for reservation. The rethinking in the Congress and the UPA allies (some views to the contrary notwithstanding) about the creamy layer concept is welcome.

SHER SINGH, Ludhiana

Tackling global warming The caution voiced by the “Earth Hour” campaign by switching off all illumination on the Sydney Harbour Bridge and hundreds of other cities around Asia should not go unheeded. It has raised general awareness about the need to check global warming. Even a momentary shutdown of ostentatious lighting will save millions of watt hours. However, I wonder how our own people have viewed this humanitarian initiative. In Amritsar, for instance, streetlights are on the entire day. In fact, some lights have not been switched off for over three months. It is a paradox that energy deficient states like Punjab lead in power theft and power wastage. We must reduce our electricity consumption by changing our attitude towards power use. MOHAN SINGH, Amritsar