Ramdas Athawale wants 25 per cent quota for upper caste, may take it up with Narendra Modi

People belonging to the upper caste but of poor financial background must be given 25 per cent reservation, which will be on top of the 49 per cent reservation given to Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), and Other Backward Classes (OBC), he said.

Updated: August 31, 2016 9:48 AM IST

By India.com News Desk

Ramdas Athawale
Ramdas Athawale

New Delhi, August 31: In an effort to uplift the economically backward, not just among the lower castes but in the upper castes as well, leader of Republican Party of India (Athawale) Ramdas Athawale said that reservation in education and government job must be extended to the communities belonging to upper castes as well. The Maharashtrian leader pointed out that people belonging to the upper caste but of poor financial background must be given 25 per cent reservation, which will be on top of the 49 per cent reservation given to Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), and Other Backward Classes (OBC).

“Those earning an annual income of up to Rs 6 lakh from among the forward castes should be given reservation in jobs and education. For this, reservations should be increased by another 25 per cent so that the existing quota for SC, ST and OBC remains unaffected,” Athawale told the Indian Express. He also said that he will take up the issue with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president, Amit Shah. Soon, it will be taken up for debate in the parliament, and once consensus is reached, a constitutional amendment will be moved, he said.

(ALSO READ: There shouldn’t be complete ban on beef: Ramdas Athawale)

The Union Minister also cited the example of Tamil Nadu which has 69 per cent reservation. “Social justice also means looking after the economically backward. There has been so much agitation among the Jat, Maratha, Patel, Gujjar, Rajput communities. All these as well as Brahmins that fall in the economically backward category must be accommodated in the extra 25 percent quota. After all, the OBC also got their reservation following similar agitations,” he said. Athawale also argued that the backward communities would have a problem with it as long as it does not affect their quota.

Athawale, a Dalit leader and stalwart of Dalit rights, earlier this week made another controversial statement saying that beef ban should be lifted. This may upset some in the certain quarters of the central government, which enforced the ban after intense lobbying by right-wing Hindu nationalists; the RSS and VHP.

Also Read:

For breaking news and live news updates, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter and Instagram. Read more on Latest India News on India.com.

Topics

By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts Cookies Policy.