Caste and bureaucracy in India share an eggshell relationship. Every new government tries to infuse his or her caste members in some handy and picky position. It is a system everywhere in the world. However, the caste factor in Public Administration is peculiar to India. In the last few days, we have woken up with such ghastly Inhumane news of girls being raped in UP. Ironically in all those rape case, Dalit women were the victims. They were not only raped but brutally killed. Hathras, Balrampur, Bulandshahr, Meerut, Baghpat case is the testimony to these facts. In almost all cases culprits were from the so-called upper caste.
Well, there are lots of questions one can ask, why only Dalits women are being raped? What is the government doing to prevent such antisocial and anti-women act’s? Why is the law and order situation weak under the current regime? The answer lies in “Caste” factor. Which we often ignore in our discussion. Even our Public policies can be seen full of biases and prejudices from farmers’ bills to urban development law’s. Caste angles are often missed. Which later became the fundamental reasons for public policies failures.
Anyways let us keep the discussion pointed, i.e. Rape, Caste, bureaucracy and Yogi government. To my mind, Uttar Pradesh Bureaucracy is at stand Still today. From top to bottom, only a few caste members are incumbent. Yogi government have alleged by the opposition that 85% of thana adhyaksha i,e station house or circle officers are “one particular caste”. Topmost position is captured by either “one particular caste”, which has created a tough and rough space for Poor’s and marginal sections to go to police stations and lodge their complaints against culprits in the rural areas of UP as in most of the cases culprits and police officers shares the same caste, which further distorts the dynamics of cases and mishandles the women victims.
Caste bias and prejudices are quite visible. Merits are being distorted. Under Yogi, one rarely finds any SC-ST-OBC officials at strategic positions. Moreover, even women have not been given field posts. Why? Isn’t it show’s casteist and gender-biased mentality?
We must understand, Representation and inclusiveness in bureaucracy is the first step for better public management and good governance, which Yogi has failed. He thought all these educated people, trained as IAS/IPS officers, do not have Caste consciousness, biases and prejudices. Instead, many reports say, police and bureaucracy are as communal, Castiest and gender-biased in India as the general population. Hence, it is the duty of the state’s highest pedestal authority to maintain neutral and disinterested machinery following governance principles.
If Chief Minister Yogi wants to handle law and order situation in UP, he must instantly consult ex-CM Mayawati. Alternatively, if not try to diversify bureaucracy as soon as possible. Moreover, to do the least, place SC/ST/OBC at crucial essential positions in the state functionary. I am sure he will get instant results.
