Ramdas Athawale condemns Nana Patole's 'Ravana' remarks about Yogi Adityanath

Ramdas Athawale. File Photo

Union Minister Ramdas Athawale criticised Maharashtra Congress Chief Nana Patole on Wednesday for referring to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath as "Ravana." Athawale claimed that Yogi Adityanath has effectively ended "gunda raj" (lawlessness) in Uttar Pradesh, making Patole's remark inappropriate. Athawale's statements followed Patole's contentious declaration connecting Yogi Adityanath to the demon king Ravana, reported ANI.

"It is not right to call Yogi Adityanath 'Ravan'...Maybe he wanted to give it a context. Yogi Adityanath has ended 'gunda raj' in Uttar Pradesh. But it is not right for Nana Patole to call him that. Yogi Adityanath has spoken a lot on PoK, on China's transgression. It is not necessary for him to speak on that in every public rally," Athawale told ANI on Wednesday.

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According to the report, in a video aired by TV reports, Patole added, "When Ravana came to abduct Sitaji, he came wearing saffron clothes."

BJP MP Sangam Lal Gupta answered by saying that Yogi Adityanath, as a saint, should not be likened to Ravana.

"A saint always talks about the welfare of the country and society. For him, there is no opposition. For him every person in the society is equal. Be it Hindu, Muslim or Christian, everyone is equal for them," Sangam Lal Gupta said, per ANI report.

Regarding the Ghatkopar hoarding collapse event probe, Athawale emphasised that a thorough investigation should be conducted.

"The location of the petrol pump is also disputed. They installed hoarding double-triple the size that they were permitted...The government has decided to have an SIT investigation...It should be properly investigated," he added.

The Mumbai Crime Branch has created a six-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate the Ghatkopar hoarding collapse, which caused 17 deaths and 75 injuries earlier this month owing to heavy winds. Bhavesh Bhide, the proprietor of a hoarding company, was arrested in Udaipur, Rajasthan, and taken to Mumbai, the report added.

The billboard in the Ghatkopar area on May 13 came crashing down amid strong winds, leaving 16 dead and several more trapped underneath. On Wednesday, the toll rose to 17 after a person under treatment succumbed to their injuries in a hospital in the city.