Reservation: A Reflection on the Bollywood film "Aarakshan"

Madhu Chandra *

The Bollywood film 'Aarakshan' is ready to release on August 14, just a day before the 65th Indian Independence Day. The members of Dalit, also known as Scheduled Caste (SC), Scheduled Tribe (ST) and Others Backward Classes (OBC) have suspicions about anti reservation motive behind the film.

The members of Dalit and OBC communities in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan and Maharashtra have opposed. The protestors attacked home and office of the producer of the film Mr. Prakash Jha today in Mumbai. National Commission for Scheduled Caste has issued notice to the Censor Board to show the film to the Commission before the release.

The issue has become a talk of the hour after terrorism and corruption. Talks are interesting and rather impressive, particularly the exclusive shows on Headlines Today, NDTV and CNN IBN.

'Aarakshan' means reservation in Hindi - the affirmative action for SC/ST and OBC in government jobs and educational institutions under constitutional mandatory 27% for OBC, 15% for SC and 7.5% for ST, totalling 49.5% are reserved. Supreme Court of India has restricted reservation only up to 50%, which is allegedly believed by Dalits and OBC as a neo form of reservation for upper caste whose population is comparatively low.

Reservation is the not what the members of Dalit, who represent 25% of Indian population demanded. It was a demand for separate electorate under the leadership of Indian Constitution architect Bhim Rao Ambedkar and given by British Indian Parliament in the Round Table conference at London. The Father of Nation, Mahatma Gandhi opposed Bhim Rao Ambedkar and went to fast unto death against separate electorate. Thereafter, reservation for Dalits for government jobs, education and parliament elections was agreed in Pune Pact 1932.

Coming back to TV debate shows on the film 'Aarakshan', Mr. Prakash Jha and Bollywood film star Amitabh Bachchan who acted in the film, repeatedly said that the film is neither anti-reservation nor pro. Only after the release, if allowed, the exact contents of the film will come to the light. However, there is a suspicious phenomenon that film will provoke anti reservation propaganda among Indian societies.

Mr. Prakash Jha spoke, 'The film does not talk only about reservation, it also talks about commercialisation of education and globalisation.' If that is so, then why did he choose 'Aarakshan' not 'Commercialisation of Education' or 'Globalisation' to name the film?

Selecting Mr Bachchan to act in this film is also another matter of question. He has taken his position on caste census last year, saying, 'I am an Indian First' denying the reality of Indian societies controlled by caste and its stigma. Denying and choosing to ignore the reality of caste system within Indian societies is the symptom of anti marginalised people. The person, who have taken such position on caste reality and chosen to act as the main character in the film, could be for the hidden motive of anti reservation propaganda.

Mr Bachchan said that he does not have reservation in his film industries and open to everyone. Then why does he not have a single Dalit star in his film industry till today? Whereas, in western society, after the racism broke out, blacks will act with whites in Hollywood, perhaps Mr Bachchan needs to answer why differences between the two?

Other co-actors of the film expressed during the TV shows that the motive behind making of the film is to promote the idea of equality among Indian societies. This sounds exactly what like 'Youth for Equality' the anti reservation movement headed by upper caste medical students in 2006 when 27% OBC reservation in higher technical educational institutions was introduced by former Union education minister, Shri Arjun Singh.

CNN IBN did a poll while the debate on the film is going on, asked by Mr Bachchan, 'Has reservation helped people'? 67% says no and 33% no with 334 number of votes. Will this poll give the real answer to the question? No, because, people who voted the poll on TV show and online, are those who are able to understand and English. Dalit and OBC communities who do not understand nor speak English, can never vote the poll as they do not understand the content of the debate. Those Dalit and OBC members who voted in the poll are those who are able to read and write English, that too is result of reservation.

Dalits and OBC are kept unequal socially, economically and educational for 3000 years, then where come the matter of equality among Indian societies? Reservation has brought socio-economic and educational changes at some level of equality among small section of Indian societies. This could have never happened without reservation. Without reservation, the members of Dalits and OBC will be pushed to the place where there were socially, economically and educationally earlier.

The symptom of opposing reservation and anti reservation movement is the reflection of two things: First, the upper caste, who represent 15% of Indian population, who have been enjoying socio-political, economic, education and religion opportunities, seems threatened of their control and share as seats in job and education are given for reserved categories.

Second, allowing the Dalits and members of OBC to come up in life through reservation provision will empower them educationally and economically, who could challenge the socio-religious disproportion of Indian societies.

What threatens reservation today is the rise of privatisation. The privatisation in globalised world and globalisation era is undeniable reality for economic survival and economic boom of the nation. But it will limit the socio-economic and educational upliftment for marginalised people of India until affirmation alternative is arranged in private companies. Currently, there is no law to ensure reservation in private companies. The corporate has opposed the idea of giving reservation.

To ensure future socio-economic and educational opportunities for Dalits and OBC, reservation in private sector is critical issue.