Defeating PM Modi not a child's play: Athawale

Hyderabad: Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Ramdas Athawale on Sunday said that defeating Prime Minister Narendra Modi is not a child's play. Addressing a press conference here, Ramdas Athawale said that he had come because Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao has been his friend and he had fought for the Telangana State. He urged the Chief Minister to stop the attacks on Dalits in the State and also provide three acres of land to the community as promised. However, he said that the fronts and tents would not work against Modi. "Those who want to fight against Modi let them come and form fronts but defeating Modi and NDA is not a child's play," said Athawale.

The Republican Party of India leader said that he was against the call given by the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) Chief Raj Thackrey of reciting Hanuman Chalisa if the loudspeakers were not removed from the mosques. Athwavale said that he would oppose the move by the MNS chief and added that nobody can do any 'dadagiri' on the mosques. He said that his party wants Hindu-Muslim unity and the comments of the MNS chief were against the Constitution written by Baba Saheb Ambedkar.

Replying to a question on the use of bulldozers, Ramdas Athawale said that he did not think that this was used to target a particular community. He said that the people of the country were with the NDA government.