Punjab Outlook

Bhoa/Pathankot –The founder of the international charitable organization PCT Humanity Dr. Joginder Singh Salaria today raised a serious constitutional issue and said that when the constitution of the country gives equal rights to all citizens, then why have assembly constituencies like Bhoa and Dinanagar been reserved since independence? Is this not a direct violation of the principles of equality and suffrage contained in the constitution?
He questioned that no person can be deprived of voting rights on the basis of caste, religion or class. Then why are these two areas reserved for only one class for decades?
Dr. Salaria said, “It has been more than 75 years since the country became independent, but the voters of Bhoa and Dinanagar have not got their full democratic rights till date. This system is not only a violation of the basic principles of democracy, but also an insult to the constitutional ideal in which Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar saw ‘India with equal rights’.”
Dr. Salaria directly questioned the Central Government, Election Commission and Punjab Government —
“Is this democracy only for a select few? Have the rights of the common class voters been sacrificed forever?”
He also attacked the political parties and said that all parties are silent on this serious issue. “The policy of reservation was enshrined in the Constitution as a temporary social justice system for only ten years, but it was repeatedly extended due to political interests. Now that there have been massive changes in the society, education and employment, this system calls for a constitutional rethink.”
Dr. Salaria said that now the time has come that reservation policy should be decided not on caste basis but on economic basis. He said, “In a developing country like India, not caste, but economic status and education should be the real criteria. Caste reservation in education breaks the morale of children. Every student should get an opportunity based on his hard work and ability, not on the basis of his caste identity.”
Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s slogan “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas”, Dr. Salaria said that this slogan will be meaningful only when every section of the society gets equal opportunities and rights. If caste-based discrimination has been abolished, then why is the common man being deprived of constitutional rights?
He said that while special provisions for Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) can be made in the Constitution, it is not only unfair to permanently deprive the general category voters of representation, but it is also a violation of their right to democratic expression.
Dr. “Politicians are deliberately silent on this issue. Those who once gained power in the name of social justice are now silent on the demand for constitutional justice,” Salaria said sharply. He said that the public has now woken up and when the time comes, this voice will take the form of a mass movement.
Describing employment as the basic condition for drug-free Punjab, Dr. Salaria said, “Until the government creates permanent employment opportunities for the unemployed youth, drug addiction will remain only a slogan. Unemployment is the root that pushes the youth towards addiction.”
He also called for strict laws on immoral conversion and population control and said that the Constitution of India is a symbol of the country’s unity, justice, freedom and brotherhood — it should never be sacrificed for political or religious interests.
Finally Dr. Salaria said, “The time has come for governments to reconsider the reserved status of assembly seats like Bhoa and Dinanagar. This is not just a regional issue, but a question related to the democratic soul of India as a whole. The Constitution has given us equal rights — now it is the responsibility of governments to extend this equality to every citizen.”