Hyderabad: Caste-based reservations will end only when caste gets eradicated from the country, Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Ramdas Athawale said taking a jab at the comments by Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) spokesperson Manmohan Vaidya.
Speaking at a media conference in the city on Sunday, Mr. Athawale, who is also the founder of Republican Party of India (A), dismissed Mr. Vaidya’s comments saying it would have to be regarded a personal one.
Against economic quota
Mr. Vaidya had earlier raked up a storm before the Uttar Pradesh elections stating caste-based reservations will have to end at some point. In response Mr. Athawale said he and his party, an ally of Bharatiya Janata Party, are not supporters of economic reservations.
Caste based reservations should in fact be increased to 75 % to suit the population need of all castes, he said adding 25 % of the pie will have be open for Other Caste candidates. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has already given his support for caste-based reservations, Mr. Athawale pointed out.
UP elections
The Union Minister rebutted the comments of Bahujan Samajwadi Party supremo Mayawati before UP polls, “She is not the only Dalit leader to represent the oppressed. RPI had won 19 seats in UP in 1967 as it is a party that has been working for the uplift of the downtrodden.”
RPI will be contesting in 150 seats in UP and will support the BJP in other seats during the forthcoming polls, he added. RPI will also field candidates in four to five seats in Punjab, 10 to 11 seats in Manipur even as it will only give support to BJP in Goa polls, he explained. Athawale’s RPI is also expected to contest in 29 seats in Maharashtra civic body polls.
Mr. Athawale who was in Hyderabad to review Social Welfare and Tribal Welfare departments, asked the State government to improve the incentive given to intercaste marriages.
