Mumbai, July 12 (IANS) Union Minister and Republican Party of India (RPI) chief Ramdas Athawale remarked on Sunday that while the INDIA bloc had initially emerged stronger, it is now “steadily weakening” and cited former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s “declined influence” as one of the probable reasons.

Speaking to IANS, Athawale said: “The Opposition is steadily weakening. It was relatively stronger in the beginning, but as Mamata Banerjee’s influence has declined, several (Trinamool Congress) MPs have joined the NDA (NCPI). In Maharashtra, six MPs from the Shiv Sena-UBT have also come over to our side. DMK has also left the INDIA bloc, that is why our NDA has further strengthened.”

“The Opposition is weaking and we are not responsible for that,” he stated while asserting that the Opposition is itself responsible for its situation.

Commenting on Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition (LoP) and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Athawale said: “Rahul Gandhi is not fulfilling the responsibilities of the Leader of the Opposition. A Leader of the Opposition should cooperate with the government by offering constructive suggestions and guidance on what should be done in the public interest. But Rahul Gandhi keeps on attacking Prime Minister Narendra Modi and attempts to insult and abuse him.”

Moreover, he claimed that LoP Gandhi’s image is “going down” because of this.

“In a democracy, it is the responsibility of both the government as well as the Opposition to work towards taking the country forward. But, I think Rahul Gandhi is not understanding his responsibility and by repeatedly opposing (the government), he is, in fact, weakening his party,” the Union Minister said.

Responding to a question on formation of seven-member committee to draft UCC in Maharashtra, Ramdas Athawale said: “I believe a Common Civil Code is necessary because disputes on this issue have continued between Hindus and Muslims for a long time.”

“In order to make families economically strong, I think people should have only two children. The Muslim community too needs to follow this.”

He asserted that the UCC is not against the Muslims.

Meanwhile, Ramdas Athawale defended Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s allegations of misappropriation of donations made at Mumbai’s Siddhivinayak Temple during Uddhav Thackeray’s tenure as the CM.

“A probe similar to that of the Ram Temple embezzlement case should be conducted at the Siddhivinayak Temple as well,” he said.

–IANS

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