Interview with Ujjwal Banerjee – Part I

A few weeks ago I got in touch with all the 8 finalist of Times of India’s Lead India programme and requested them to share their views on a several important issues of national interest with the readers of my blog.

Sadly only one of the contestants bothered to write back (not an encouraging sign)…He was Ujjwal Banerjee who not only wrote back, but did so promptly…in spite of his obviously busy schedule.

Ujjwal suggested doing the interview in parts as he needed time to reflect on the questions…So here is Part I of the interview where Ujjwal shares his views on reservations, criminalization of politics and economic policies.

If any of you are in touch with the other Lead India contestants (not just finalists), please ask them to respond as well.. I did write an email to each of the finalists but have not heard back from anyone – and unfortunately I do not have contact details of other contestants.

Without further ado, here are my questions and Ujjwal’s responses.

What is your stance towards economic reforms?

Economic reforms are underway and I believe that the government is doing a good job on that front. I also appreciate the proactiveness with which certain sectors are getting privatized. For further growth, investment in infrastructure and getting people with the right skills is going to be fundamental.  On rural India front, we have to think through the problems which occur due to improper implementation of good ideas. There is a lot that needs to be done to improve our existing delivery process.

At the same time, the government should make strong efforts to bring about social reforms with regards to challenging the archaic and backward notions prevalent in our society. There are several battles that need to be waged in parallel- battle against caste system, against gender discrimination, against corruption, against improper education etc. Economic reform has strong linkages with social reforms and I would say that both these knots have to be loosened together.

What are your views on reservations in education, jobs, promotions, private sector (and reservations on the basis of caste, religion, socio-economic measures?

I have very strong views against reservation. We need to understand that caste system, discrimination based on religion are societal problems while reservation is a political solution to these social evils. If the government wants to bring the underserved communities up to a level where they can be competitive, it should provide good quality education to all individuals and specifically to the economically backward communities. The education should be strong enough to provide them the requisite skills to earn their living and also to lead a life of strong self esteem where they go beyond the parochial confines of caste etc. 

The unfortunate part is that the politicians don’t want to erase this social problem since a major chunk of their votes comes on account of these disparities. Their interest lies in perpetuating this problem by keeping that section smiling by doling out populist measures without making any effort to erase the root cause which I believe can be done through education, advocacy and strong joint civil movement with government and educated citizens joining hands.
No industry has ever flourished on account of the caste of its employees. All industries are products of the manifestation of human potential and for this we need well educated and trained people. The moment high quality education is taken to the masses, we would see a marked difference.

Views on “criminalization” of politics and views on banning people with criminal convictions from standing for elections?

The fact that people with strong criminal backgrounds are able to reach the hallowed portals of our parliament is a matter of shame and should be a subject of immediate action. Its strange how the judiciary is silent on this front. This trend not only puts incompetent and dangerous elements into positions of power but it also gives birth to a strong sense of cynicism amongst honest and courageous people to do something significant for the nation. History is a witness to the intellectual and moral bankruptcy that these elements bring with them leading to a state of perpetual weak and corrupt administration in their respective constituencies.

More, hopefully soon…

Related Posts:

A fresh look at Reservations and Quotas  and A fresh look at Reservations and Quotas – PART II 

Building a Freedom Team for India

Interview with Geeta Gokhale, BPD – Part I and BPD, BM, LP: Light at the end of the tunnel? 

To all of you who are reading this, this is part of a humble attempt to try and raise awareness about important issues, including our culture, history and of course, governance.

Please feel free to share the link with others and as always, I look forward to a healthy discussion.