Shah Fails to Charm Thackeray: SS Attack on BJP Intensifies

NEW DELHI/MUMBAI: Clearly, a slightly desperate BJP President Amit Shah was not able to placate Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray at a recent meeting where he was hoping for a declared truce. Instead, after a couple of days during which media speculation touched new levels, Thackeray and the Sena have come out with fists flying in what has been an almost daily attack on the BJP since the past few days.

Taking a stand contrary to its ally in government in Maharashtra, the Shiv Sena has come out in full support of Aam Aadmi Party and chief minister Arvind Kejriwal currently on strike at the Lt Governor's house. It fielded Sanjay Raut to tell reports that Uddhav Thackeray had spoken to Kejriwal and that his movement was “unique”. And that the ongoing Delhi impasse is not good for democracy.

The Sena has also attacked the government for its Kashmir policy, flagging the killing of Army jawan Aurangzeb who was abducted and murdered by terrorists on the eve of Eid. In fact the Shiv Sena directly targeted Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. Calling her weak, inactive and faceless, its mouthpiece Saamna carried an editorial stating, “we are doing more damage to the country by giving charge of defence ministry to a person like this. We have complete faith in our Army but our leadership is very weak.”The editorial further added,”not only Muslims, but all the Hindus of the country will also have to salute Aurangzeb's sacrifice. An Aurangzeb like this should be born in every Muslim house of the country.”

Staying on the issue of Jammu and Kashmir the Shiv Sena has now hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, stating that his foreign tours have been ineffectual in quelling world criticism of government police in Jammu and Kashmir. Referring to the strong United Nations report on Kashmir, the Sena said that PM Modi’s world tours have failed to protect the image of India.

The editorial stated, "In the last four months, over 400 people have been killed in Kashmir, maximum being the jawans. Our prime minister is busy in foreign trips, while the defence minister is stuck in party affairs.

"While it was being said that the PM's foreign tours enhanced the country's prestige globally, his image lies in tatters after the UN report on Kashmir.”

“"This (the report) means despite the PM's numerous foreign tours, nobody is willing to stand with India on the issue of Kashmir and we could not put forth our stand, as we should have, before the United Nations,"it added.

Mincing no words the editorial went on, "Internal security of India has become a joke. A Ram Temple is yet to be constructed in Ayodhya. Lord Ram is in 'vanvaas' (exile). But the country's security is 'Ram-bharose' (in the hands of Lord Ram).

"The government has to be blamed for the violence, bloodshed and killings by terrorists (in J&K) during Ramzan.”

Uddhav Thackeray also recently met a delegation of AASU leaders from Assam on the controversial Citizenship Amendment Bill moved by the BJP and told them in clear words that he would support them to the hilt on this issue. This was seen by the Assam groups as a major achievement.

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Shah seems to have been unable to charm Thackeray, and the ‘truce’ reported by a section of the mainstream media seems to have hardly lasted days with the Shiv Sena renewing and intensifying its attack on the BJP. It had only recently described its ally as its main political enemy.