Republican Party of India (A) supports Patel community's demand of inclusion in OBC category

Union Minister Ramdas Athawale has said that his party, the Republican Party of India (Athawale) supports the Patidar or Patel community's demand of its inclusion in the Other Backward Class (OBC) category.

Addressing the media on Saturday, the minister assured that the state, as well as the Central government, will surely think about it.

The minister further said that his ministry will soon decide on amending the drug act.

"The person who drinks alcohol is not put behind the bar. So it is not good to put someone taking drugs behind bars. Such a person should be sent to the rehabilitation centre and not jail. Narcotics Control Bureau arrests the person taking drugs today because of the current law in the country. That's why they have to be arrested. The amendment in this law falls under our ministry. We will decide on this very soon and the person taking drugs will be sent to the rehabilitation centre, not jail," he said.

( With inputs from ANI )