By Chuppala Nagesh Bhushan A structured set of counter-narratives against the "Reservation Hatao" (remove-reservation) movement — organized by the type of argument it typically makes, with a rebuttal built for each. 1. Counter "Reservation = Merit Loss" argument Their claim: Reservation lets "unqualified" people in, lowering standards. Counter: Merit isn't caste-neutral to begin with — it's built on generations of unequal access to schools, nutrition, networks, and capital. Comparing outcomes without comparing starting lines isn't "merit," it's privilege wearing a lab coat. Point to data: reservation beneficiaries in IITs, IAS, and elsewhere routinely go on to match or outperform peers once given equal opportunity — the "merit gap" often closes fast once the resource gap does. Ask back: was it "merit" when entire castes were denied education, temple e...