Newly appointed Social Justice Minister Ramdas Athawale on Monday said he will support reservations for economically backward Brahmins, Marathas and Jats in education, jobs and politics. The Republican Party of India President said many of these groups have raised such demands, and that he is sympathetic to them. He added that he would write to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the matter and is confident of “positive results”, The Hindu reported.

Athawale was at his first public event since assuming office, and made the statements on the sidelines of the Mumbai function. He also said that all those who had converted to Buddhism from Scheduled Castes and Schedules Tribes would get the legal benefits to which they are entitled, and the Dhangar community’s demand to be included under STs would be considered soon.