New Delhi: Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray has asserted Prime Minister Narendra Modi should take the defence ministry "seriously" as the country is "staring at a war with China" and facing terrorism emanating from Pakistan.

"The environment in the country today is such that on one hand we are staring at a war with China and on the other, infiltration of terrorists from Pakistan does not stop," Thackeray said. 

"The prime minister should take a stand... the defence ministry should be taken seriously and cannot be played with," he said.

Thackeray, whose party is a constituent of the Modi government, made these comments in apparent reference to the fact that there is no full-time defence minister as the charge is with Finance Minister Arun Jaitley.

The defence portfolio was with Manohar Parrikar before he moved to Goa as the chief minister in March.

The Goa chief minister is going to contest a by election, he added.

“Yesterday, I read his statement that if he loses, he will once again take up defence ministry. If the ministry is being treated lightly, anarchy will prevail across the country," he said.

"Whether he (Parrikar) wins or loses is immaterial," Thackeray said, asking the prime minister to take the defence ministry "seriously".

Firing a salvo at Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, he said, "While Fadnavis feels that there will be lawlessness if the government gives a complete loan waiver, in reality, if a losing chief minister (referring to Parrikar) goes to Delhi, there will be anarchy across the country."