Instead of taking Ram Temple donations, slash fuel prices: Shiv Sena to govt

The Shiv Sena mouthpiece Saamana also commented on the issue of Bollywood stars maintaining silence over rising fuel prices

Shiv Sena on Monday launched an attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Central government over the increasing fuel prices in the country. Slamming the BJP, an editorial in Sena mouthpiece Saamana said that instead of taking contributions for Ram Temple in Ayodhya, the government should bring down the skyrocketing prices of petrol and diesel in the country.

Yuva Sena, the youth wing of Shiv Sena, has put up banners stating “Yahi hai acche din?” at various petrol pumps and roadsides in Mumbai, in a bid to register their protest against the Centre. (ANI)

“The people have the right to live and it is the responsibility of the government to keep the prices of essential commodities under control. If the Central government has forgotten this then the public will remind them. Instead of seeking contributions for Ram Temple, bring down the skyrocketing fuel prices. Even Lord Ram will be happy with this,” the editorial said.

Yuva Sena, the youth wing of Shiv Sena, has put up banners stating “Yahi hai acche din?” at various petrol pumps and roadsides in Mumbai, in a bid to register their protest against the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance government at the Centre. The banners have mentioned rates of petrol, diesel and LPG cylinders in 2014 and 2021.

The editorial on Monday said, “The BJP should celebrate that petrol has crossed ₹100, but Prime Minister Narendra Modi has decided to give the credit to Congress. ‘Had the previous governments not been so energy import dependent our middle-class would not be burdened now,’ said Modi... The previous governments built Indian Oil, ONGC, Bharat Petroleum, Hindustan Petroleum, Bombay High to look for oil reserves. Modi is now selling all these PSUs and blaming the previous governments.”

There was no immediate response from the BJP.

The Sena mouthpiece also commented on the issue of Bollywood stars maintaining silence over rising fuel prices.

The editorial questioned why film stars Amitabh Bachchan and Akshay Kumar should be blamed for not speaking up on the rising prices since no one could dissent in the country any longer.

“Before 2014, Akshay Kumar and Amitabh Bachchan spoke about the rising fuel prices through social media. But now the celebrities are quiet even after petrol crossing ₹100. They are criticised by the Opposition now. They are quiet now because they have been made to sit quietly. This means that before 2014, there was the right to show dissent against the government. Today we have lost the right to show dissent. Why blame Amitabh Bachchan and Akshay Kumar?” the editorial said.