Uddhav’s dig at Modi: PM should have hoisted tricolour at Srinagar

Sena chief targets NaMo on slew of issues, including foreign visits and cow vigilantism

Taking a dig at Prime minister Narendra Modi, Uddhav Thackeray, re-elected president of Shiv Sena said Modi should have hoisted tricolour at Srinagar instead of flying kites with his Israeli counterparts Benjamin Netanyahu. Thackeray also criticised Nitin Gadkari, union minister for his remark against navy officials.

Addressing the national executive meet at Worli, Thackeray said, “Why did you have to take the Israeli PM to Ahmadabad? What purpose didnot serve? The nation would have proud of you had you taken him to Srinagar and hoisted the Tricolour there or taken him to Lal Chowk and hoisted the flag there.”

Thackeray slammed Gadkari for his remarks on navy personal and said if he does not want to accept their demands, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) should not take credit for the surgical stikes, in which the BJP had no role to play.

“If you say you are the government and the army personnel should go at the border rather than making demands, why did you take undue credit for the surgical strikes? Did you even go at the border then?” he questioned.

“People are saying you came to power by indulging in scams. The army, not just has a 56 inch chest, but valour as well,” he said.

Gadkari had on January 11 said "not an inch" of land would be given for Navy housing in south Mumbai, wondering why all their personnel here want to stay in this posh area when they should be at Pakistan border.

He further said that despite Modi's promises of ‘Acche din’, soldiers are sacrificing their lives everyday, their mutilated bodies are being brought to their native places and consigned to flames. “However, we are just giving talks of teaching Pakistan a lesson every time. Once and for all, take a concrete action rather than just talking,” he said.

Thackeray said the Sena in the past did not contest any polls outside Maharashtra to ensure Hindu votes did not get divided, but in future, will contest all Assembly polls, irrespective of the outcome.

“If killing a cow is a crime and is banned, then speaking lies for power should also be considered a sin and banned,” he said.

Thackeray said the government only spends money on advertisements but not on schemes.