Equality Forum raises voice against Caste based Reservation system.

Pioneer News Service | Bhubaneswar
Protesting caste-based reservation on the ground that it violates the provisions of equality before law and equal protection of law as prescribed under Article 12 of the Constitution, the State wing of the All India Equality Forum on Sunday said reservation is not the only way of uplifting economically and educationally backward classes, including Scheduled Castes and Schedule Tribes. This has been proved since the Constitution came into force, it argued.
However, the Government is using reservation as a weapon to win elections violating the provisions of Article 335 of the Constitution and inducing casteism among the people, said State president of the forum, Vagirathi Mahasuar, at a news conference here.He stressed on equal treatment before law for all citizens of the country, irrespective of posts and status held by the individuals. Reservation is just an enabling provision and it can no longer be included under fundamental rights, he said.
The forum is determined to protect the right of equality to all citizens in the matter of direct recruitments and promotions in all services without any preferential treatment on the basis of caste, creed, religion, province and place of birth.It demanded abolition of special rules or Acts made in the interest of a special caste group, said Mahasuar.The State Government is violating the directions of the Supreme Court while framing special provisions of reservation, he said, adding that the forum would launch an Equality Rath Yatra soon to protest against reservation and create public participation on the issue.