The flame simmers, for now!

The Quota verdict has now set in, and the Indian public and the media are scrambling ways to deal with this new change. For outsiders, the Quota verdict is the increase in the number of seats in educational institutes for the less privileged classes. There are two issues which can be highlighted. The very concept of change and reform has had a rethink and also a layman's understanding of Public Opinion.

People and the media have always called upon change. Reform of any kind which benefits the greater populace is always welcome. But, the hidden thought could be that the people themselves may wind up not opening to change. Change, as a term, is so vague that people tend to dismiss it quickly. The status quo makes the people beneficiaries in a system, and the overhaul makes them resistant to the would-be benefits in a new system.

Public Opinion has been the odd man out in Democracies. Lots of times, issues and laws have been raised by governments which have challenged the status quo. The issue of Social justics and positive discrimination are a case in point. In areas of education and work, this may lead to turbulences which can test the democratic foundations of the state or degenerate it.

Changes in the social scenario and changes in the economic front are always hard to comprehend. In this case, it would be better to trust the policy makers at the top. They are brave enough to do something which ordinary citizens are not raising. But, the solution is tainted if the politicians play dirty tricks or do not take into account the pros and the cons within the system. The reservation issue is like that in some way. The outcome is desirable, but it seems the government is fiddling with the system, threatening its collapse.

The bottomline now is that the fire has been set, and the flames will continue to simmer for a long time, as it involves people of all strata. Since it is has been bought out in the open, the people are left with two choices. Either destroy the system by bringing it to a halt or help the government in promoting a utopia called equality.