Union Minster Ramadas Athawale today said necessary police protection would be provided for couples entering into inter-caste marriages. Addressing a conference on 'Thoughts of Dr B R Ambedkar and its relevance to contemporary society, organised at the Avanashilingam University for Women here, Athawale pitched for inter-caste marriages to create a casteless society. When reporters asked him later about his suggestion and also related issue of 'honour killings', Athawale said police can ensure protection to couples entering into such marriages. When it was pointed out that many organisations in Tamil Nadu were demanding a stringent legislation against such killings, he said the government would ensure protection to those entering into inter-caste marriages, he said. To another question on increasing attacks on Dalits and the downtrodden, the recent one being in Kerala, Athawale said there should be a dialogue between all sections of society to end such heinous crimes. A tribal man was lynched at Attappady in Kerala last month for allegedly stealing food articles. On the BJP's fine peformance in the assembly polls in three North-eastern states, particularly wresting Tripura from the CPI-M, he said this was a forerunner to the 2019 Lok Sabha elections and NDA, under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, would continue to rule. Asked if the dream of Congress-Mukt Bharat (congress free India) would become a reality, Athawale said as Modi was becoming stronger and stronger, the Congress would be marginalised, "if not finished." Appealing to the AIADMK in the state to come closer to the NDA and join it, Athawale also wanted sidelined leader, T T V Dhinakaran to cooperate with the ruling AIADMK and make the party stronger. The Dalit leader, who heads the Republican Party of India (Athavale), an ally of the BJP-led NDA, said he had already suggested to both Hindu and Muslim communities to sit together and find an amicable solution to the vexed Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid dispute.
(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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