Govt will collapse if quotas end: Athawale

Sending a stern message following remarks made by an RSS functionary over reservation, Union Minister Ramdas Athawale today said the government will collapse if quotas go, even as he asserted that the government does not hold any such view.
He said the BJP and the RSS should sit together and sort out issues as such statements "embarrass" the government.
"The statement reflects feudal mentality of the RSS. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will never allow any kind injustice to Dalits and neither does the government hold any such view expressed by the RSS. He is bound to protect the constitution.
"But if that happens (reservations go) then the government will collapse," Athawale said.

Republican Party of India (RPI) headed by Athawale is an NDA ally.
RSS's publicity chief Manmohan Vaidya had yesterday kicked up a row with remarks favouring a review of the reservation policy, saying even the architect of the Constitution B R Ambedkar had not favoured its continuance in perpetuity.

"Reservations for SC/ST was introduced in a different context. It was provided for in the Constitution to remedy the historical injustice done to them. It was our responsibility.
"So, reservation for them has been there since the inception (of the Constitution). But, even Ambedkar has said its continuance in perpetuity is not good. There should be a time limit to it," Vaidya had told an interactive session at Jaipur Literature Festival.

Athawale expressed disagreement with Vaidya over Ambedkar not favouring continuance of reservations in perpetuity.
"Our party has never opposed reservations to the upper class. Give them reservations in remaining 50 per cent. Reservation given to us is in accordance to our population," he said.