NCP leader Jitendra Awhad voices concern with 'some judicial decisions'

Nationalist Congress Party leader Jitendra Awhad triggered a controversy on Wednesday after saying that some judicial decisions 'smell of casteism'.

'Some judicial decisions come in a way that they immediately smell of casteism…This is not expected from the judiciary,' he said while addressing a NCP event in Nagpur

Awhad also advocated for reservation in the judicial system and said that 'Babasaheb Ambedkar should have kept reservations in the judicial system as well'.

The politician from Sharad Pawar's NCP faction also said that the invitations for the Ram temple event should be socially inclusive.

Speaking to reporters, the former Maharashtra minister alleged the day (January 22) chosen for the consecration of the idol has no connection with Lord Ram's life.

"Is January 22 a Ramnavmi? No. The temple in Ayodhya is incomplete but still pranpratishtha of the idol is being done. Real issues like inflation, unemployment etc are not talked about ahead of elections. The invitations sent out (for the consecration ceremony) smacks of caste bias," he alleged.

He said B R Ambedkar had challenged the discriminatory "caste system" by visiting the famous Kalaram temple in Nashik.

Awhad asked why President Droupadi Murmu was not invited to the temple event.

The NCP leader had recently stoked a controversy by saying that Lord Ram was a "non-vegetarian who hunted animals". He later expressed regret over his remarks.

With PTI inputs