Here comes another announcement to appease the minorities. The Andhra Pradesh government has recently decided to provide 4% reservation to Muslims in jobs and education. The announcement comes some eight months after the Supreme Court and the AP High court rejected an application filed by the AP government seeking directions to provide 5% reservation to Muslims in educational institutions during 2006-07. The AP govt also has the reputation of asking private companies to have the reservation system deployed. Though currently private companies are against this, the govt. by force might make them implement the reservation system.

The Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister knows that his party will not win the next elections as all his projects and programs have been big duds and money spinners to congressmen and Congress party contractors. So, the best way to gain some public support is through acts that will appeal to minorities. You may have a doubt here - Isn't he losing the support of Hindus. Not much, as this issue will be forgotten in no time.

We say Hindus are the majority community in India but it is the minority communities (Muslims, Christians, etc) who are enjoying the fruits. Governments give subsidies to Haj piligrims but charge heavily from the Hindu devotees for Amarnath Yatra. The money donated by Hindu pilgrims at Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD) is used for building Churches and other activities that are not related to Hinduism. If anyone tries to raise his/her voice against this, he is termed Hindu fundamentalist. While members of the BJP and the VHP are described chauvinists, Christian Pastors and Missionaries who are happily engaged in conversions and Muslim fundamentalists who are a constant threat to India are happily ignored. In fact, the newspapers too play it safe while dealing with minority communities.

Nobody will oppose if govt spends on providing quality education to all BCs SCs and STs at the schooling level and prepare them to compete on equal basis with the so called general category in the higher education. But this will not happen. On our part, we cannot do anything but to shout on blogs.

I may be a bit harsh but truth is always bitter.