New Delhi, India

Government Workers

Democracy is alive and well in India. The first time I walked out into the sweltering heat in New Delhi, I ran into busloads of men emptying out onto the streets. I started snapping pictures and soon a mob gathered around eager to explain what was happening. Unfortunately, to my disappointment, English does not come easily to these people, but here’s what I gathered from the few words of English they spoke: “We are all government workers: I’m a teacher, I’m a social worker, I’m a lawyer, and I’m a policeman. We are marching to the parliament to protest the system of reservations in government jobs, which gives preferential treatment to certain classes and ethnic groups. This quota system is unconstitutional and should stop. Promotions should be based on merit only. Now we have people in the government who can’t do their job, but are there only because of the caste they belong to. Instead of making promises to give reservation to get votes, the government should work to improve itself. If the government doesn’t change this system, we will create our own party. On another street corner a small group of men held an opposing sign: “The reservation — save promotion otherwise we want separate nation.” There was no one among this group who spoke English.