CHENNAI: Can government jobs be reserved only for the domiciled residents of the State or extended to migrants? This discussion on ‘jobs for natives’ is not just limited to the Indian context, as the current White House incumbent is also wielding it, rather aggressively, as a potential poll-weapon to garner votes for the presidential elections this November.
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has renewed the idea with his announcement early last week that all the MP government jobs shall be reserved for those who are born in the State.
The idea seems to be generating traction once again among political parties in Tamil Nadu such as the PMK and VCK. The DMK, which had already vouched for reserving government jobs for “sons of the soil” in 1960s, is yet to react to the current development.
D Ravikumar, general secretary of VCK, strongly supports such a legislation for Tamil Nadu, as he observes, “When many other States have such legislation, Tamil Nadu cannot remain a mute spectator. The State has to protect its youth.”
He points out that over a period of time, the number of government jobs has come down and even in those reduced numbers, if people from other States take a share, it would be difficult for the native youth.
“When a few States assure that the government jobs are only for their youth, it would eventually pose problems for those from other States. Ergo, the other States have to safeguard themselves in this regard,” he adds.
However, professor C Lakshmanan of Madras Institute of Development Studies (MIDS) looks at this as a move that would nurture parochialism, as, in the current situation, the mobility of people from one State to another and one capital city to another is high.
“Everyone is moving out in search of some opportunity. When people are qualified enough to occupy a certain position, the government should take into consideration only the person’s qualification rather than his place of birth,” contends Lakshmanan. He also points to the paradox of the ruling BJP in the Centre pushing its envelope for “one nation policy’, while one of its Chief Ministers is advocating for a policy that goes against the party’s vision.
Retired IAS officer N Murugan provides a different perspective to the issue. “By proposing such an idea, Madhya Pradesh is taking a step backward. Such a legislation will suit a State which has unitary development and if most of its people are uneducated and unskilled and do not move to any other State.
But, it will not augur well for States like TN and West Bengal where people benefit from lateral development.” Murugan continues, “Tamils are spread across the globe and a woman of Tamil descent is contesting for the post of US Vice-President. In India, States cannot solely depend on their own jobs. In such a case, the earning goes to the parent State, while the labour goes to the State of employment. Hence, lateral development is the best-suited idea for a State like Tamil Nadu.”
Political commentator ‘Tharasu’ Shyam, who takes the “for” side of the argument, says, “It is the right idea because all those employees who deal with local people, on a daily basis should be Tamils. Common people don’t get to meet the Collector or people of high positions regularly. Naturally, officers in the below ranks should be Tamils to serve the people. Can a person from Uttar Pradesh be appointed as a tehsildar in Tamil Nadu and vice-versa?”
He also recalls that DMK, during the 1960s, had raised the same issue. And, Dravidar Kazhagam, though not a political party, keeps the idea close to its heart for a long time. For any national level of recruitment, it is not possible. But, TNPSC recruits officers and other employees for the State, and as of now, nativity certificate is mandatory for getting jobs in Tamil Nadu.
PMK founder S Ramadoss welcomes the idea as he says, “Though the idea seems to be against the federal structure of the country, such a legislation is necessary to ensure employment for the local people and TN government should come forward to do it.” Stating that, of late, people from other States have been intruding into TN’s government jobs using legal loopholes, he notes, “Now, Madhya Pradesh has plugged the loophole and Tamil Nadu should follow suit.”
‘Lateral development best suited for Tamil Nadu’
Tamils are spread across the globe and a woman of Tamil descent is contesting for the post of US V-P. In India, States cannot solely depend on their own jobs. In such a case, the earning goes to the parent State, while the labour goes to the State of employment. Hence, lateral development is the best-suited idea for a State like TN, feels C Lakshmanan of Madras Institute of Development Studies