MUMBAI: From reservation in all sports for Dalits to replacing Mahatma Gandhi’s picture on currency notes with that of Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar’s, Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Republican Party of India (RPI) president Ramdas Athawale’s list of demands is only growing.
“Why should it only be in cricket? All sports should have reservation for the downtrodden. Take, for example, the tribals, whom we have seen to be excelling in every sport they take part in. We need to give them more push,” he said, reiterating BJP MP Udit Raj’s demand for reservation in cricket teams. Mr. Athawale was speaking in Mumbai against the backdrop of civic polls in February 2017.
The RPI chief, who sided with the BJP in the 2014 Assembly elections after the latter split with the Shiv Sena, said his party does not disrespect Mahatma Gandhi, but the time has come to have Dr. Ambedkar’s picture on new notes. “He wrote our Constitution. Not only Dalits, he belongs to all Indians. Why shouldn’t his face be on the notes as well?” he said. Mr. Athawale also demanded that Mumbai Central railway station be renamed Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Terminus.
Mr. Athawale, who was in Mumbai to interview candidates for the civic polls, said he wants the Sena and BJP to fight the election together. “If there is an alliance, we want 25 to 30 seats as we were given 29 seats in 2012. If the alliance breaks, we stand with our natural ally BJP and expect at least 50 to 60 seats. We have sizeable presence in every ward in the city. If BJP chooses to ignore us, we will contest all 227 wards.”
The RPI is also readying for the contest in poll-bound Uttar Pradesh, claiming it, not Mayawati’s BSP, alone is the true flag-bearer of Dr. Ambedkar’s legacy.
