CJI: Time to ease creamy layer out of SC/ST quota 11 Nov 2008, 0141 hrs IST, Dhananjay Mahapatra, TNN

NEW DELHI: The time has come to think about the creamy layer among Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes and their gradual exclusion from quota benefits, said Chief Justice of India K G Balakrishnan, the first Dalit judge to occupy the highest post in the judiciary. Politicians are ever so shy about touching this taboo subject, but the CJI, who endured social discrimination and deprivation right through his school days and into his judicial career, was candid when asked if it was prudent to extend reservation to children of Dalit IAS officials, constitutional post holders or those successful in business. “Caste prejudice cannot be totally wiped out only by high income,” he told TOI, probably reflecting on the ground situation prevalent in many parts of the country. But he agreed that “it is time to put on our thinking caps about gradual exclusion of the high income group among SCs and STs from the purview of reservation benefits”. He was quick to clarify, having touched upon a sensitive issue. “Ultimately, it has to be a political decision based on consensus,” he said. Even though guarded, it is significant coming from Justice Balakrishnan, who, probably like US president-elect Barack Hussein Obama, fought prejudices to reach a position where none from the oppressed classes had ever set foot. His children could never go to a public school and had to get their education in government schools. He seldom benefited from reservation — there being no quota for SCs in selection of judges for the High Courts or the Supreme Court. Even his selection as a civil judge in Kerala in 1973 was purely on merit, for he stood first in the written test. He had to resign from judicial service and return to advocacy as he was told that he would find it difficult to make it to HC as promotional avenues were very low. Proving himself as an able advocate brought him the offer to join the Bench and he has not looked back since. If he was worried about clothes for going to school — he had just two pairs of dress — now he is worried about the prevailing situation in the country marred by unrest and terror strikes. “People should feel secure. They have a fundamental right to live in secure atmosphere where they should feel that their life and property are safe. That is the basis of democracy,” the CJI said. Do judicial officers need training to deal with cases relating to terrorism? Justice Balakrishnan said, “We do sensitize judges in issues relating to gender justice. But this aspect — training judicial officers to deal with terrorism cases — has not crossed our minds. May be we have to look into the scientific and psychological aspects of the evidence and train judges accordingly.”

எஸ்.சி., எஸ்.டி.களுக்கும் கிரீமிலேயர் கொண்டு
வரவேண்டும் என்கிறார் இந்தியாவின் தலைமை நீதிபதி

http://files.periyar.org.in/viduthalai/20081112/news16.html

புதுடில்லி, நவ. 12- தாழ்த்தப்பட்ட, பழங்குடியினர்க்கும் பசை (கிரீமிலேயர்) முறை அறிமுகப் படுத்த வேண்டிய காலம் வந்து விட்டது என்று கூறியுள்ளார் இந்தியத் தலைமை நீதிபதி கே.ஜி பாலகிருஷ்ணன். இந்தப் பதவியில் அமர்ந்த முதல் தாழ்த்தப்பட்டவர் இவர்தான் என்பது குறிப்பிடத்தக்கது.

அதிக வருமானம் வருகிறது என்பதால் மட்டுமே ஜாதி மனோபாவம் அழிந்துவிடாது என்று அவர் டைம்ஸ் ஆப் இந்தியா ஏட்டுக்கு அளித்த பேட்டியில் கூறியுள்ளார். ஆனாலும் அதிக வருமானம் உள்ளவர்களை இட ஒதுக்கீடு அளிப்பதிலிருந்து படிப்படி யாக நீக்க வேண்டும் எனும் கருத்துக்கு நாம் வரவேண்டிய காலம் வந்துவிட்டது. ஆனால், இது அரசியல் ரீதியாகப் பெரும்பான்மைக் கருத்து அறிந்து முடிவு எடுக்கப்பட வேண்டிய விசயமாகும் என் பவை தலைமை நீதிபதியின் பேட்டியில் கூறியவை.

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