Shiv Sena attacks BJP again, says more bloodshed in J&K under PM Narendra Modi's rule

The Saamana editorial said that more Army jawans have shed blood in J&K under PM Modi's rule that the previous governments.

MUMBAI: In yet another attack on its estranged NDA ally BJP, the Shiv Sena on Monday said that the situation in Jammu and Kashmir has deteriorated under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's rule and claimed that the party ruling at the Centre frittered away the massive mandate it won in 2014 polls.

PM Modi talks about his "56-inch chest", but more Army jawans have shed blood in the terrorism-hit state under his dispensation than previous governments, said the BJP's bickering ally.

Despite getting an overwhelming mandate in 2014, the BJP failed to fulfil its pre-poll promises and now its leaders are talking of even bigger win in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, the Maharashtra-based party said in a fiery editorial in its mouthpiece 'Saamana'.

"BJP leaders were delivering speeches at Ramlila Maidan and pitching for a second term in the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections with a strong mandate. So, what about the mandate you got in 2014? Was it hollow?" the Sena editorial asked.

The acerbic Sena article came days after the conclusion of a two-day meeting of the BJP's national council at New Delhi's Ramlila Maidan during which the saffron party kickstarted its campaign for 2019 polls.

"Such statements are an insult to 2014 mandate," the Saamana editorial said.

"Construction of Ram temple, (fighting) corruption, inflation, the creation of jobs were some of the top points on which the campaign for the 2014 general election was based. Chest thumping over '56-inch size' was also done along with tall promises to counter terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir. But we continued to lose our jawans there," said the editorial in the Marathi daily.

The situation in Jammu and Kashmir has worsened in the last four-and-a-half years, the editorial said.

"We do not know the measurement of our jawan's chest, but without any complaint, they have continued their fight against terrorism. But, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has complained against Congress harassing him," it said.

A true leader is one who forgets his personal woes and tries to solve challenges facing the country, the party suggested.

"The Congress-led government was incompetent and hence it lost the election (in 2014) and now the Modi regime is in power but jawans are still being killed.

"The 'chowkidar' should take a note of it," the party said in an apparent reference to PM Modi.

Taking a dig at the BJP government, the article concluded by saying that paying tributes to jawans who die in the line of duty should not become just a ritual.

"It seems offering tributes to our martyred jawans has become an official national activity. Those who find pride in offering tributes should visit the family of such jawans once," the Saamana article said.

(With PTI Inputs)