Netizens slam Author Ravinder Singh for demanding meritocracy

Ground Report | New Delhi: Netizens slam Author Ravinder Singh; the central government on Thursday implemented a new reservation policy for admission to medical colleges under various state governments. Now, students from one state will be eligible for admission to medical colleges of other states through the All India Quota (AIQ).

Under All India Quota, 27% for OBC students and 10% All India Quota for Weaker Income Group (EWS) students will be given in Undergraduate/Postgraduate, Medical and Dental education under reservation. With this decision, 5,550 students coming from OBC and the Economically Weaker Section (EWS) will benefit from admission in medical and dental education.

ALSO, READ: Students from reserved categories aren’t any less meritorious

The best-selling author of 'I Too had a Love Story' fame, Ravinder Singh, was found in the midst of online controversy after he an Instagram post about the aforementioned policy. The post, by Singh, criticized the move. In the post, the author sits next to a board that reads, "Now 27% OBC quota in medical. This is how we want to fight the virus of the future- by killing merit."

The caption of his Instagram post reads, "Tum mask pehno. Hum merit kill karenge. (You wear masks. We will kill merit.)"

People on social media criticized the author for speaking against minorities. Many called Singh a 'casteist' and an 'elite'.

Netizens slam Author Ravinder

Global ambassador for Digital Peace Now and popular writer Gurmehar Kaur reaction to Ravinder Singh post wrote, 'Ravinder I know you genuinely care about equal opportunity and uplifting citizens which is why I’d just ask you to read a bit more about caste oppression and the generational impact of those practices and rethink this opinion.'

Another user Srishty Ranjan wrote, "if only 'writers' would read themselves. this post clearly shows your “merit”, that you don’t understand how affirmative action and representation are important in any democracy. and did you just mock numerous Bahujan healthcare workers who have been carrying the burden of a broken health care infrastructure on their shoulders, by risking their lives? how do you sleep at night?"

ALSO READ: Why reservation is still necessary to uplift the depressed classes?

Senior Journalist Rohini Singh wrote on Twitter, "Merit is a product of privilege. Sometimes ‘merit’ can be purchased".

Another user wrote "don't see you complaining about management quota, NRI quota. anyway, we need more good doctors in the country to fix the brain damage you create with your terrible and unimaginative writing that panders only to the male gaze".

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