The Shiv Sena has continued to surprise with its sheer hypocrisy and megalomania following the Maharashtra poll results. After betraying the electoral mandate in favour of a Shiv Sena-BJP coalition government, and joining its rivals, the Shiv Sena has now raised concern about the withdrawal of SPG cover to the Gandhis in its moutpiece ‘Saamana’.
The Shiv Sena has said that whether it is Delhi or Maharashtra, politicians should feel safe in their environment. It further stated, “The prime minister, home minister and other ministers are not ready to leave their security and importance of bulletproof cars is intact. This means the concern over the removal of security of Gandhis is valid. Sending used cars in their convoy raises concern.”
Out if its newfound affection for the Congress president and her family, the Shiv Sena further demanded that PM Modi should intervene. Strongly arguing for the Nehru-Gandhi family, the Shiv Sena has also stated, “The reason for giving SPG to Gandhi was that Indira Gandhi was killed by her own security guard and Rajiv Gandhi was killed by militants. A few months back, there was a terror attack in Sri Lanka’s five star hotel. The government may have political differences with the Congress. Hate for Nehru is out in the open since five years.” It also alleged that the Modi government is playing with the lives of Gandhis out of political animosity, and added, “But one should not play with a person’s life. We would have taken the same position if it would be someone else other than the Gandhis.”
The Shiv Sena has therefore gone through a virtual meltdown over the removal of the SPG security cover to the Gandhis after a threat assessment. On the face of it, it virtually seems as if ‘Saamana’ published this editorial about its own party president. The sheer contempt towards the Modi government and sympathy towards the Congress chief, makes it difficult to believe that this same mouthpiece used to viciously criticise the Nehru-Gandhi family, only until recently.
Today, ‘Saamana’ has written with unprecedented sympathy about Sonia Gandhi and the rest of the Nehru-Gandhi family. But the same mouthpiece edited by Sanjay Raut had once also claimed that Sonia Gandhi had spent more than Rs. 1800 crores for her treatment. In fact, the Shiv Sena founder, Bal Thackeray had also taken a dig at Sonia Gandhi’s Italian origins in ‘Saamana’ in the year 2010. Replying to Rahul Gandhi’s remark about Mumbai being for all Indians, Balasaheb had said that Mumbai maybe for all Indians, but it can never be for an Italian mother.
Shiv Sena Mouthpiece Saamna edited by @rautsanjay61
claimed that Sonia Gandhi spent Rs 1800cr for her treatment .
My question to Congress – Why didn’t they sue this newspaper showing Rs.1880 cr expenses or they meekly agree to this news ????pic.twitter.com/PbxKgzOeA5— Rishi Bagree (@rishibagree) October 31, 2019
1. #Samna under Bala Saheb
2. #Samna under @OfficeofUT @rautsanjay61 @JhaSanjay@INCIndia @ShivSena@priyankac19 @republic@TimesNow#ShivSenaDumpsBalaSaheb #MarathaPrideBowsTo10Jp pic.twitter.com/xhVONywMQq— Pradeep Banerjee (@Antim_Adhay) November 30, 2019
The hypocrisy with ‘Saamana‘ is just too hard to ignore. It has traditionally called Sonia Gandhi names, and one of its editions even went on to call her the “corruption queen” claiming that she is richer than even Queen Elizabeth. Today, however, the mouthpiece looks nothing more than the Marathi version of National Herald. With this, the Shiv Sena has lost whatever ideological basis it still had. The shocking twist in Saamana’s narrative officially marks complete secularisation of the Shiv Sena, which has deserted the ideals of Shivaji and is now virtually idolising Soniaji.