Caste remains a reality in India, but state-sponsored identification risks legitimising and perpetuating divisions that India should aim to move beyond.
One of the fundamental principles of our constitution is ‘equality for all’. A caste census has the potential to formalise the social stigma connected with SC/ST/OBC/Dalit tagging.
Another reason cited by BJP's spin doctors is the Bihar Assembly election. It’s fallacious, too. Such a big decision is not taken in view of just one Assembly election.
An audit of past schemes is needed to ensure that affirmative action benefits the real marginalised. Unlike previous govts, Modi's BJP actually has a plan for 'Garibi Hatao'.
On 6 May 2010, BJP leader Gopinath Munde warned that not counting OBCs in the caste census would mean denying social justice to more than half the country for another decade.
The Modi government doesn't want to jeopardise its hold on the backward caste vote, especially with Congress and Mandal-era parties like SP and RJD eyeing the same turf.
Driving an electric vehicle for months, the Hyundai IONIQ5, BMW iX and now the Kia Carens Clavis electric, has convinced me of the viability of EVs for city and mid-range commutes.
With the US-India trade deal yet to get done, rupee depreciation may be helping to mitigate India’s loss of competitiveness. The other problem is extreme despondence among overseas equity investors.
Of the total package, $649 million will be utilised for additional hardware, software, and support services, and the remaining for Major Defence Equipment (MDE).
Don’t blame misfortune. This is colossal incompetence and insensitivity. So bad, heads would have rolled even in the old PSU-era Indian Airlines and Air India.
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