Shiv Sena chief targets Modi again, questions stand on President’s rule
MUMBAI: Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray on Monday hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the second day in a row over issues ranging from rushing to impose President’s rule in Congress-ruled Uttarakhand and Arunachal Pradesh to the Centre’s failure to control inflation.
Thackeray also laid bare his relationship with the top Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leadership, saying, “the communication with Delhi has broken” in his interview in the party’s mouthpiece, ‘Saamna’. The first instalment of the four-part interview was published on Sunday ahead of his birthday on July 27.
“This isn’t the way to achieve a Congress-mukt Bharat. They should have shown such rush in taking back Pakistan-occupiedkashmir (POK). The country would have applauded them,” he said.
Earlier in July, the Shiv Sena was quick to slam the Modi-led government in an editorial that likened the Supreme Court verdict to a ‘slap on the Centre’s cheek and a blow on its nose’ after the court struck down its decision to impose President’s rule in Arunachal Pradesh.
Its reaction was similar to the one the party had when the SC upturned the President’s rule imposed in Uttarakhand. The Sena had, then, warned that the country would “head to anarchy if such things continue”.
Thackeray took digs at the stands the government has taken since coming to power. “Our country’s misfortune is that we still don’t have a leader who will walk his talk,” Thackeray said, speaking about Modi’s speech promising to ‘teach Pakistan a lesson’ after coming to power.
On Sunday, Thackeray demanded that India be proclaimed a ‘Hindu state’ wondering how long attacks on the security forces will go on in Kashmir.
He kept up his attack on Monday as he questioned the outcome of Modi government’s pet schemes and flagship missions.
In a seemingly sarcastic tone, Thackeray also said he was still hopeful of Modi’s leadership.
“Modi will fix everything,” he said.