There will be no debate on that, says Union Minister of State for Social Justice & Empowerment.

Union Minister of State for Social Justice & Empowerment Ramdas Athawale said on Tuesday that reservation for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes will continue and there will be no debate on that.

“I want to assure the Dalits of this country that there is no question of debate or rethinking on the issue of reservation. Whatever Mohan Bhagwatji had said, the RSS has clarified it,” Mr. Athawale said. He was speaking in Kolkata during a seminar organised by Merchant Chamber of Commerce and Industry on the topic ‘Social Justice & Empowerment in India: Progress made and Way Ahead.’ The Minister said reservation was a constitutional right and no one can take it away from the dalits.

RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat had on August 18 called for a “harmonious conversation” between those in favour of reservation and those against it.

On the issue of attack on Dalits in the country, Mr. Athawale said casteism was the main reason for the attack and it should not be politicised. He said that legislation itself was not sufficient for preventing such attacks and it required a change in the mindset of the people.

The Minister also spoke about the steps to make India free of manual scavenging. “There are nearly 53,000 people involved in manual scavenging throughout the country. We are giving ₹40,000 so that they can start something on there own, so that there are no people doing this work in next five years,” Mr. Athawale said.