Prodigal8217;s welcome for Athawale

Later, speaking to newsmen Athawale demanded that the compensation to the relatives of those killed should be doubled to Rs 4 lakh and that to the injured to Rs 50,000.

He blamed rival factions of RPI for Sunday8217;s attack on him and added that the attackers were not the residents of Ramabai colony. A defiant Athwale said: 8220;Had the Dalit Panther movement been alive today, nobody would have dared to touch me.8221; However, he said, he has not lodged a police complaint as yet. 8220;They were fellow dalits and I would not like to complain against them,8221; he said.

When asked how significant was RPI leaders8217; July 11 meeting at Chhagan Bhujbal8217;s house which was attended by Prakash Ambedkar, he said: 8220;The meeting was a part of the tricks played by leaders to assume control of the party.8221; Mergers and splits have become routine in the RPI, he said.

8220;People should decide for once and for all who will lead the party,8221; he asserted. Lashing out at the ruling Shiv Sena-Bharatiya Janata Party alliance, Athawale said the government should accept responsibility for the police firing and step down.