RPI leader demands total 23 pc reservation for higher castes

Kolhapur, June 5 (UNI) Republican Party of India (Athawale) president Ramdas Athawale today demanded a total 23 per cent reservation for the higher castes in the educational institutes.

Addressing a news conference here, Mr Athawale, a Lok Sabha MP, said that the controversy over reservation was ''not good,'' and pointed out that of the 23 per cent, three per cent should be for the Bramhins.

''The dispute on the issue would be over if his demands were fulfilled,'' he hoped.

He said it had been mentioned in the Constitution that reservation should be based on caste, hence there was no question of granting reservation based on economic criteria.

Those who were opposing the reservation citing merit as the basis, were a mere 10 per cent, Mr Athawale claimed.

Demanding for the stoppage of management quota system and privatisation of education, he said the government should nationalise education.

''If they did not want to implement caste-based reservation, then the existing caste system in the society should be eradicated,'' the RPI chief assertd.

The reservation should be implemented in all universities including the deemed ones, he added.

On June 9, the RPI activists will stage 'rasta roko' and hold demonstrations across Maharashtra in support of reservation and on July 1, a convention in support of reservation will be organised in Aurangabad, which will be inaugurated by former prime minister V P Singh, Mr Athawale added.

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