Shiv Sena slams PM Narendra Modi for making Pakistan a poll agenda

An editorial in the Sena mouthpiece, Saamana, on Tuesday, said the PM’s job is to take action against miscreants by producing proof, instead of levelling allegations.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s allegations against former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh in connection with a dinner organised by former union minister Mani Shankar Aiyer has drawn flak from the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) ally, Shiv Sena.

Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray (HT File)

The dinner was attended by Singh, former vice-president Hamid Ansari, Pakistan High Commissioner, former foreign minister K Natwar Singh, former Army chief Deepak Kapoor, among others.

Addressing a rally, PM Modi last week said that the Congress was conspiring with Pakistani leaders to prevent the BJP from winning the election in Gujarat

An editorial in the Sena mouthpiece, Saamana, on Tuesday, said the PM’s job is to tact against miscreants by producing proof, instead of levelling allegations.

The editorial slammed Modi for making either Pakistan or gangster Dawood Ibrahim the agenda of every election. Chanting about Pakistan and Dawood to win elections is Modi’s last resort, when all else has proved futile, it said.

It further questioned why allegations are levelled against the opposition only in election rallies. “If Modi knows the meeting at Mani Shankar Aiyar’s house was for anti-national activities, why doesn’t he arrest the people involved in it?” the editorial said.

“Modi has made serious allegations. Until yesterday, Pakistan was interfering in Kashmir, and China was interfering in Arunachal Pradesh, Leh and Ladakh. Instead of acting to reduce this influence, lack of action has ensured growth of Chinese and Pakistani influence in these regions,” it added.