Ramdas Athawale demands reservation for SC, ST in army; earlier wanted quota in cricket team

On Saturday, Union minister Ramdas Athawale appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to provide reservation to backward classes in the Indian Army, according to media reports.

The way SC/STs/OBCs have reservation in education,jobs, they should get it in Army too: Union Minister Ramdas Athwale | ANI pic.twitter.com/CNKGw5kPam

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Athawale said that he would speak with the prime minister regarding the same, according to a report in  The Indian Express .

Referring to BR Ambedkar’s words that all should serve the country, the Union minister urged the youth to join the army, according to the report.

On 1 July, Athawale had courted controversy by demanding reservation for the SC-ST community in the Indian cricket team, Hindustan Times  reported.

He had said that the BCCI should consider providing reservation to the sportsmen from these communities to give them equal opportunity in the international sport .

“There is no harm in giving a 25% reservation to these two categories,” Athawale  was quoted as saying by Hindustan Times.

On 1 August, the Union minister had favoured giving reservation to economically-backward sections among other communities (OCs) without “touching” the existing quotas for SCs, STs and OBCs.

“Without touching the reservation for SC, ST, OBC, a law to give reservation of 25 percent in the remaining 50 percent, to the boys and girls of castes who are not SCs, STs, and OBCs, through a ‘creamy layer’ method, whose annual income is below Rs 6 lakh, should be made,” he told reporters in Hyderabad.

With inputs from PTI.