NEW DELHI: Leader Ramdas Athawale on Tuesday pitched for enhancing the reservation ceiling up to 75 per cent to accommodate the demands of caste agitations in Haryana, Gujrat and Maharashtra. Athawale said that he would seen an audience with the Prime Minister Narendra Modi to argue for Constitutional amendment to give effect to another 25 per cent reservations for the economically weaker sections for the general category.
The minister argued that hiking the reservation quota would help address the social unrest in various states. "There should be reservation for poor in general castes. Jats in Haryana, Patidar in Gujarat, Marathas in Maharashtra and even Brahmins will benefit if the Constitutional changes are carried out for higher reservations,” said the minister.
The RPI leader who forged an alliance with the BJP on the eve of the 2014 Lok Sabha elections stressed that the quota for the SCs, STs, and OBCs should not be diluted while addressing the demands of caste agitation in various states. The minister was speaking to reporters in the national capital to give a background to the national convention of the party which will be held in Bangalore.
The minister also stated that the RPI would look forward to contest the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections in alliance with the BJP. Athawale claimed that the BJP would gain with an alliance with the RPI by getting Dalit vote base in the poll bound state.
"BJP can't win UP polls without Dalit votes. RPI can get these votes. I will approach and request both BJP president Amit Shah and Prime Minister on the issue,” added Athawale.