Union Social Justice Minister Ramdas Athawale (PTI)
MUMBAI: Union Social Justice Minister Ramdas Athawale on Saturday said Rahul Gandhi's statement about `ending reservations' was condemnable, and his party would intensify its protests against the Congress leader in Maharashtra and elsewhere.
The minister also said the "Dalits will teach Rahul Gandhi a lesson for speaking against the country on foreign soil", and demanded apology from the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha.
The BJP and its allies have targeted Gandhi over his remarks during an interaction with students in the United States that Congress would think of scrapping reservations when "India is a fair place", which he said was not the case at present.
Addressing a press conference here, Athawale, a prominent Dalit leader, said the statement was "against the Constitution" and reflected the Congress' "anti-reservation stand."
"No one can end reservations given to Dalits, Adivasis and backward classes," said the Republican Party of India (Athawale) chief.