An Indian-American professor, Rajeshwari Iyer, has sparked a heated debate online after attributing the cause of the Air India crash, which resulted in the deaths of over 270 people, to India’s reservation policies.
Iyer, who studied in India, posted a job announcement from the Airports Authority of India for air traffic control roles, with the caption, “Even the post of ‘Air Traffic Controller’ has reservations. Means: In India, freeloaders are more important than safety.”
The post came a day after the London-bound flight AI 171 crashed in Ahmedabad just minutes after takeoff.
Iyer also said, “Including Indian citizens, we lose many British citizens too. 241 died in a plane crash. What a pathetic system (sic).”
While many netizens supported her, others slammed her for alleged caste prejudice and for leveraging a national disaster to promote ideological views.
“The crash happened due to malfunctions in Boeing Dreamliner, which is manufactured by a USA company, due to loss of thrust. There is no fault of crew. So chill a bit … (sic),” one person wrote on X.
Another person wrote, “Firstly, it’s too early to conclude anything. Also, desperately wish where one day such brilliant migrants and naturalised citizens of other ‘first world’ nations (whether through parents or self) like yourself, fix the flaws of this young Indian democracy and work towards ensuring that it comes out of years of colonial and outdated ideas and depredations.”
Some internet users also pointed to past air accidents involved non-reserved category professionals, challenging her claim that reservation-based hiring was to blame.
Last year too, Iyer, an alumnus of esteemed institutions such as NIT Puducherry and IIT Delhi, stirred a similar controversy with her claim that Brahmins are the most exploited people in India.
In September last year, Iyer wrote on X, “Brahmins are less than 2% of the population. They are the most exploited and abused among all Indians. Still, 60% of all Nobel Prizes won by Indians were Brahmins.”
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