Ms. Mayavati's new plea and surprising support to it by the Prime Minister and L.K.Advani are prescriptions to ruin India. Already, the SC, ST and thre OBCs have got 50% of seats in higher educational institutes reserved. There is also a demand for additional reservations for the Muslims; some day, the Christians and other minority communities will also demand rteservation and politicians with axes to grind will support them. This way, Quo Vadis India, whichway is India is going? Ms. Mayavati's new plea is of course prompted by her desire to broadbase her party and wrest power from the UPA in 2009 General Election but what are all these regressive steps leading to? Let not our politicians fulfil Winston Churchill's prophecy that in just 50 years after Independence, they would send the country to dogs. In reservations, only the economic criteria should be followed and economically weaker students should be helped by stipends, scholarships etc., as the British did. No other criteria should be followed for reservation in higher education. Bandana Ray from Singapore
