Union Minister Ramdas Athawale.
Credit: PTI Photo
Union minister Ramdas Athawale on Monday demanded strict action after some men strung four Scheduled Caste youths from a tree upside down and thrashed them in Ahmednagar district of Maharashtra.
Addressing a press conference here, the RPI (A) president said it is a very serious issue and an unfortunate incident.
"The RPI (A) condemns this incident. We demand strict action against those responsible," he said.
According to police, the victims, among them two minors, were allegedly stripped, hung upside down from a tree and thrashed with sticks by six men on suspicion of stealing a goat and pigeons at Haregaon village in Shrirampur taluka of Ahmednagar on August 25.Four persons have so far been arrested in connection with the incident.
Athawale also said the RPI (A), which is part of the National Democratic Alliance, is keen to get at least 10-12 Lok Sabha seats for contesting in various states, especially in Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh, for the 2024 elections.
"RPI (A) is expanding in Uttar Pradesh. We want the BJP to take us along. We will discuss with BJP president J P Nadda and seek at least 10 to 12 LS seats to contest in some states, where RPI (A) is strong, especially in Maharashtra and UP," he said.
He said RPI (A) is expanding in UP where rallies will be held on October 1 and December 17 in Meerut and Lucknow, respectively.
"I have discussed with J P Nadda and UP CM Yogi Adityanath to take RPI (A) along. Our partnership will ensure BJP gets votes from Dalits as well as Muslims. We will try for this alliance in UP," the Rajya Sabha member said.
Athawale dismissed Congress spokesperson Alok Sharma's claim that four to five parties among the 38 that had attended the meeting of BJP-led NDA are in touch with the I.N.D.I.A alliance and some of them will join the opposition bloc in the coming days.
"I believe none of the 38 allies of NDA will switch over to the I.N.D.I.A bloc," he added.