The rise of the right wing has been accompanied by a demand for the abolition of reservations. Reservations were introduced to correct a centuries-old imbalance in Indian society that made the upper castes extremely powerful and rich while keeping other castes crushingly poor and low in status. VP Singh, as prime minister, implemented the recommendations of the Mandal Commission by providing reservations for the first time for OBCs in government services. All Indians Matter speaks with veteran journalist Debashish Mukerji, who’s also the author of a much-acclaimed biography of Singh, about how reservations shape Indian politics and what lies ahead for them.
