The idea shapes the narrative that caste-based reservations are holding back development more than caste-based discrimination itself.
“During the Poona Pact, Dr. Ambedkar, Gandhi, and others were discussing a time-limit for implementing political reservation for the Depressed Classes, following which Dalits would be offered a referendum to decide whether they were satisfied with the existing provisions for their political reservations. The discussions never concerned total discontinuation; moreover, the idea of the referendum was eventually dropped.
Similarly, during the Constituent Assembly Debates, the proposition for a ten-year period for caste-based reservations was actually arrived at as a compromise to bridge conflicting views. In fact, it was Dr. Ambedkar who, dissatisfied with the ten-year clause, suggested making use of constitutional amendments to keep extending these provisions.”
“Above all, pushing the idea of the 10-year limit places the onus of achieving castelessness in society on those who have been left the most marginalized by the institution.”
