Ramdas Athawale

Ramdas Athawale
Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment
Assumed office
5 July 2016
Prime Minister Narendra Modi
Rajya Sabha MP from Maharashtra
In office
3 April 2014 – 2 April 2020
Lok Sabha MP from Pandharpur
In office
1999–2009
Preceded by Sandipan Thorat
Succeeded by Abolished
Personal details
Born Ramdas Bandu Athawale
(1959-12-25) 25 December 1959
Agalgaon, Maharashtra, India
Political party Republican Party of India (A)
Occupation Trade unionist, social worker

Ramdas Bandu Athawale (born 25 December 1959) is an Indian politician from Maharashtra. He is the founder–leader of the Republican Party of India (A), an Ambedkarite party. Currently, he is Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment in the Narendra Modi government, and represents Maharashtra in the Rajya Sabha, the upper house of India's Parliament. Previously he was the Lok Sabha MP from Pandharpur.

Political career

Athawale was a full-time member of Dalit Panther of India organisation which was founded by Namdeo Dhasal and J. V. Pawar. Athawale demanded firearms.[1] for Dalits from Indian Government[2] for self-defense and to resist oppression.

He was member of Maharashtra Legislative Council from 1990 to 1995 and position of Cabinet Minister for Employment Guarantee Scheme and Prohibition Propaganda, Social Welfare and Transport in the Government of Maharashtra.

He represented the Pandharpur constituency of Maharashtra and is the president of the Republican Party of India (Athawale) political party.

He also represented Mumbai North Central in 12th Lok Sabha during 1998-99. He left the Nationalist Congress Party-Indian National Congress alliance in 2011 after having lost the 2009 Lok Sabha election. Athawale led the RPI party, joined the Shivsena-Bharatiya Janata Party alliance in 2011 and contested Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation elections together. Athawale lost in the Shirdi (Lok Sabha constituency) election in 2009.

In 2014, Athawale was elected to the Rajya Sabha, which is the|upper house of parliament. He represents Maharashtra.

Devyani Khobragade was appointed Personal Secretary to Athawale in July 2016 but was turned down by his senior Minister Thawarchand Gehlot. As her father Uttam Khobragade a retired IAS Officer, was the national executive president of Athawale's Republican Party of India (Athvale).[3]k

Personal life

Athawale was born to Bandu Athawale and Honsabai Athawale in Agalgaon, Sangli district in Maharashtra. He is married to Seema Athawale and has son named Jeet. He is under graduate Educated at Siddharth College, Mumbai.

References

  1. ↑ http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/nagpur/Athawale-demands-arms-for-Dalits/articleshow/49510947.cms
  2. ↑ http://www.rediff.com/news/report/let-dalits-possess-arms-for-their-safety-athawale-tells-maha-govt/20160128.htm
  3. ↑ Ramdas Athawale's Request For Devyani Khobragade As Private Secretary Turned Down


This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.