The anti-quota protests in India found an echo in the United States with over 500 Indian American professionals and students from the San Francisco Bay Area holding a demonstration against what they dubbed as the disturbing trend of using reservation for politics.
Under the banner of Bay Area Indians for Equality, Indian Americans from Berkeley, Santa Clara, Sunnyvale, Mountain View, Palo Alto, Milpitas and San Jose organised a protest on Sunday at Fair Oaks Park in Sunnyvale, California.
The rally included a signature campaign on a petition addressed to the President of India, questioning the proposed policy of reservation for Other Backward Classes in Central institutes.
A street-skit performance poked fun at the politics and policies of reservation while sending a serious message on the long term impact of reservations on society.
"We are not pro or anti-reservation, but we question the facts, figures and basis of the government policy. We ask for complete analysis to show why it is the best strategy for India's development" said Manish, one of the organisers.
"The government has not measured the success of reservation policies of the past. On what basis can they extend such a policy," questioned Shambhoo, another organiser of the rally. "We need clearly defined goals, well analysed strategies and time-bound metric to measure its success. Results of reservations are long lasting and we need to study them properly before moving forward."
In the letter to the President of India, the signatories have expressed deep concern over the 'disturbing trend' of using reservation as a tool of politics by political parties to 'target' particular vote banks.
'It is imperative that the effectiveness of the policy be known and long term consequences understood', the petitioners have said. "We believe in affirmative action; all members of society have the right to education and all should be given an equal opportunity. We are for the upliftment of the backward and economically deprived of society.
However, we are not convinced that the government kept the well being of the country in its mind when making this decision', the letter reads.
The petition further demanded that 'the government conduct a thorough study and show transparency in its actions. We urge the Government to set-up an expert panel to gather all the facts and consider all the options to determine the best method of affirmative action'.
The Bay Area Indians for Equality are a group of professionals and students who feel strongly about the reservation issues in India.
"The goal of this group is to unite together and send a strong message to the Governmentt of India that it needs to be more transparent in its policy making. Our aim is to urge the Government to justify whatever policy it comes up with, and to back it with facts and figures. We also believe that reservation being a decisive issue is often taken hostage by vested political interests," the organisation has said.
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