I couldn't agree more with you. The politicians have been successful in giving this entire episode a casteist colour.
Those opposing the reservations have been portrayed as selfish souls who do not care for the illiterate population of India. And they themselves are trying to play God Father by making hollow statements like "committed to fulfilling the promise of giving education to the backward community". The biggest irony is offering the bait of reservations in the most prestigious institutes in the country, when the real backward are dropping out of schools. The level of their commitment to education of the backward is clearly visible.
Another word that has been abused is "social backwardness". Agreed that education can help in removing the social backwardness. But, why have double standards and claim that the socially backward remains socially backward even after 2 generations of taking advantage of reservations!
I feel sad that even the educated population of India is not rising against the govenment. They will feel the pinch when their own sons and daughters do not get admissions to good colleges just because the politicians wanted to appease a OBCs !!!