Dalit leader suggests quota for upper castes who are economically backward

On one hand, Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Ramdas Athawale is apparently promising Prime Minister Narendra Modi the votes of Dalits in Uttar Pradesh. On the other hand, he wants reservation for those from upper castes who are economically backward. While this sounds more like Athawale is wooing the upper castes, Athawale has a certain reasoning.

Speaking to The Indian Express, the Dalit leader – whose political party is called Republican Party of India (Athawale), or RPI (A) – said that social justice should include looking after those who are poor. “There has been so much agitation among the Jat, Maratha, Patel, Gujjar, Rajput communities,” he said. “All these as well as Brahmins that fall in the economically backward category must be accommodated in the extra 25 percent quota. After all, the OBC also got their reservation following similar agitations.”

Athawale said when he meets the PM and Bharatiya Janata Party President Amit Shah, he will adding to the present reservation of 49.5 per cent and increasing it to 75 per cent – this way, the existing quota for Schedule Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Castes remains unaffected. The minister also said that he was of the belief that Dalits and other backward castes would not object to such a reservation policy if it does not eat into their existing quota.

 
One could point out that this not the most sound reasoning given upper castes are not held back because of social prejudice (which is what quotas are meant to address) and economic backwardness would be better served by improving infrastructure rather than increasing quotas. But hey, who are we to argue with the Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment?