Will speak to Trump if possible, says Ramdas Athawale on Capitol Hill siege

Union minister Ramdas Athawale said that Trump has insulted the Republican concept and he will talk to Trump on the phone if possible. He added that he used to have a lot of respect for Trump but it dissipated after the latter insulted the public mandate following the US presidential election.

Nashik:Union minister Ramdas Athawale on Friday said US President Donald Trump has lost the right to be called a Republican after his supporters stormed the Capitol in a bid to overthrow the November 3 election result. Athawale said he used to have a lot of respect for Trump but it dissipated after the latter insulted the public mandate following the US presidential election.

"What Trump did ahead of the transition of power is detrimental to democracy and so he has lost the right to be called a Republican," the Republican Party of India leader said in a statement.

"Trump should have conceded defeat and made efforts to win the next election but instead of doing so, he disrespected people's mandate and insulted democracy," said Athawale, who sometimes comments on matters of global concern.

Athawale, president of the Republican Party of India (A) added that Trump has insulted the Republican concept and he will talk to Trump on the phone if possible.

Five persons were killed and 60 arrested after several protesters broke into the Capitol building on Wednesday and roamed the corridors as tens of thousands gathered outside in support of Trump's false claims of election fraud.

(With agency inputs)