MUMBAI: BJP's estranged former NDA ally Shiv Sena has made yet another stinging attack on the Narendra Modi government at the Centre and accused it of trying to take political mileage over issues like Article 370 and Citizenship Amendment Act.
In a strongly-worded editorial in its mouthpiece ''Saamana.'' the Maharashtra-based party raised question maks over PM Narendra Modi's remarks made in Varanasi that the government won't go back on the citizenship law and Article 370 despite extreme pressure from all quarters.
Attacking PM Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah, the ''Saamana'' editorial said that the two have been repeatedly claiming that the government won't go back on Article 370 and CAA but we want to know what who has been pressurising the Centre to go back on the same. The editorial also asked what has been the outcome of the government's decision.
''Protests are still happening over CAA and the mystery over the situation in Kashmir continues. Even after removing the Article 370, Kashmiri Pandits are still suffering. There has been no marked difference in their situation post removal of Article 370,'' the editorial said.
Giving a piece of advice to the BJP-led NDA dispensation, the Shiv Sena said that PM Modi and his trusted aide Shah should cut the rhetoric on Article 370 and CAA as it didn't work in the recent assembly elections in Delhi.
''The government should not claim that Kashmir has been made part of India after scrapping Article 370. This is wrong as Kashmir has long been an integral part of the country due to the valour and sacrifices of our soldiers,'' the editorial said.
While extending full support to the Centre over CAA and Article 370, the Uddhav Thackeray's party said that there is no disagreement that illegal immigrants from Bangladesh and Pakistan should be kicked out of the country, at the same time, the government should do more work and talk less.
In its editorial published on Monday, Shiv Sena had claimed that the ongoing preparation for the much-awaited visit of US President Donald Trump is a reflection of the "slave mentality" of Indians. Trump's India trip is like the visit of a "Badshah" (emperor), an editorial in Sena mouthpiece 'Saamana' said.
Taking a dig at the construction of a wall on a plot having several slum structures in Ahmedabad ahead of Trump's visit there, the Sena said the US President's trip would neither stop the fall of rupee's value in forex market nor offer betterment to those (slum dwellers) behind the wall.
"Before Independence, British King or Queen used to visit one of their slave nations like India. The kind of preparations going on from taxpayers' money for the arrival of Trump is similar to it. This reflects the slave mentality of Indians," it said.
The Sena also took a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation's (AMC) move to build a wall on a plot to "hide the slums" on the route through which Trump's convoy would pass.
"Former prime minister Indira Gandhi had once given the slogan 'Garibi Hatao', which was ridiculed for a long time. It seems now Modi's plan is 'Garibi chupao' (hide poverty)," the Marathi publication said.
