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Ramdas Athawale bats for more land, scholarship to quell Dalit fury

Athawale, who heads the Republican Party of India (RPI), also emphasized that BJP should not play communal card and should stick to ‘Sabka sath, sabka vikas’ plank to retain power.

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Union Minister Ramdas Athawale
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Amid a massive outcry by Dalit outfits and opposition over the Supreme Court’s order on the SC/ST Act, Union Minister of State for Social Justice Ramdas Athawale has made a strong case to reinstate faith of the Dalit community in the run-up to the 2019 elections by sending a clear message that atrocities against them will not be tolerated. Athawale, who heads the Republican Party of India (RPI),  also emphasized that BJP should not play communal card and should stick to ‘Sabka sath, sabka vikas’ plank to retain power.

“The government on a priority basis needs to initiate steps for the allotment of at least 5 acres of land — from a total of 20-crore acre barren land — to every landless Dalit family. This will help at least 25 crore people across the country who will get an assured means of livelihood. Besides, the government will have to fully spend funds earmarked in the annual budget under the special component and tribal sub-plan on welfare schemes for SC/STs. This will help further empower them,” Athawale told DNA.

Further, Athawale said the government will have to increase the scholarship amount, linking it with the price index. “The scholarship amount has not been revised in last eight years and there is an urgent need to increase it. The government will have to cover deemed universities and other institutes to provide scholarship to students from SC/STs,” he added. 

Athawale admitted that there is discontent among the Dalit community, as in the absence of reservation in the judiciary there is negligible strength of Dalits in judiciary. Further, the community is annoyed over lack of reservation in the private sector.

Not Anti-Modi

Athawale said that the  ‘Bharat bandh’ call by Dalit outfits on April 2 was a spontaneous reaction against the Supreme Court order on SC-ST Act and not against the Modi govt at the Centre.

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