Lok Sabha elections 2019: The Union minister said both Hindus and Muslims should honour the Supreme Court verdict on the Babri Masjid-Ram Janmabhoomi dispute.
He also claimed that originally a Buddhist shrine existed on the disputed land in Ayodhya.
The Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment said it is wrong to say that such incidents have increased under the BJP regime as the attacks on Dalits are continuing for many years irrespective of which party is in power.
To a question, Athawale said, "I think that all will benefit if the reservation limit is enhanced to 75 per cent from the present 50 per cent... all political parties will have to help the government in this regard."
Athawale said he was willing to speak to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and mediate between him and Hardik Patel.
Uttar Pradesh has 80 Lok Sabha seats, of which the BJP and its allies had won 73 in the 2014 parliamentary elections.
Athawale was referring to the recent attack on Dalits in Pune who were celebrating 200 years of the victory of British troops over Peshwa Bajirao II's Army in Koregaon Bhima.
Dalits commemorate the British victory over the Peshwa's army at Bhima-Koregaon in 1818 as it is believed that soldiers from the Mahar community were part of the East India Company's forces.
Athawale said the demand for the reservation for Dalits has been his party's demand for a long time and he would soon speak to Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman about it.
"Everybody in the country has a right to eat beef. The gau rakshaks have the right to lodge a police complaint... However, they don't have the authority to take the law in their hands," Athawale said.
It was for the second time that Athwale advised Pawar to join NDA if he was keen on occupying the highest constitutional post in the country.
Union Minister Ramdas Athawale today said that though he is in favour of a ban on cow slaughter, it should not be extended to other species of cattle.
Union minister Ramdas Athawale has supported the idea of reservation for transgenders in government jobs on the lines of quota fixed for disabled people.
Taking a different view on cow slaughter from NDA partner BJP, Union minister Ramdas Athawale today opposed a complete ban on beef saying farmers will suffer.
Jumping into the beef controversy that erupted in the wake of BJP MP Udit Raj’s twitter post over 9-time Olympic gold medallist Usain Bolt eating beef twice a day, Union minister of state for social justice Ramdas Athawale has said that if a person
Mumbai: The Republican Party of India (RPI), which contested Lok Sabha and Maharashtra Assembly polls last year as an NDA constituent, will hold a conclave here tomorrow to “remind” BJP of its promise of taking
Mumbai: Terming the ouster of Aam Aadmi Party's founding members Prashant Bhushan and Yogendra Yadav from AAP's national executive as “unjust”, RPI(A) chief Ramdas Athawale today invited the duo to join his party.“Prashant Bhushan and
Mumbai: RPI president Ramdas Athawale, whose party is a member of the ruling Mahayuti (BJP-led grand alliance) in Maharashtra, today reiterated demand for a berth in the Union cabinet.“BJP must honour the written commitment it
Mumbai: Amid signs of a rapprochement, all Shiv Sena MPs will attend the high tea being hosted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi on Sunday for NDA MPs even as RPI leader Ramdas Athawale
Mumbai: RPI chief Ramdas Athawale on Friday claimed that Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray was "very keen" on forming coalition with the estranged ally BJP for formation of government in Maharashtra."Uddhav Thackeray told me that
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