Union Minister Athawale Advocates For Caste-Based Job Quota In Private Sector, Hails Centre's Caste Enumeration Decision

Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment, Ramdas Athawale, advocates for caste-based job quotas in the private sector, citing the ongoing privatisation of government enterprises, reported The New Indian Express.

Speaking in Raipur on Tuesday (1 July), the Republican Party of India (A) president emphasised, "It has been our long-standing demand. Ram Vilas Paswan (former Union minister and Dalit leader from Bihar), Udit Raj (a Congress leader who was earlier in BJP), and myself had demanded that reservation be given in the private sector."

He pointed out the lack of reservation in privatised companies like Balco in Chhattisgarh, stating, "Though I am in the government, my party's demand is that quota be implemented in the private sector as well."

Athawale hailed the Modi government's decision to include caste enumeration in the upcoming population census as a historic move.

He asserted that such an exercise was never undertaken during Congress rule.

Responding to Rahul Gandhi's claim that the government's decision on caste enumeration came due to his persistent demand, Athawale countered, "That is not the case at all. It was already on the government's mind."

He also dismissed Gandhi's criticism of PM Modi, stating, "It seems Rahul Gandhi will never get a chance to become prime minister. Rahul Gandhi keeps attacking Modi ji all the time without any impact. Modi ji has such a strong body that it does not affect him."

Regarding Gandhi's remarks about the RSS preferring Manusmriti over the Constitution, Athawale affirmed, "The BJP accepts the Constitution first."

He added, "The Congress party keeps talking nonsense and the more they do this, the more it will benefit Modi ji."

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