Shiv Sena Chief Uddhav Thackeray. (File Photo)
Shiv Sena, which shares an uneasy alliance with the BJP, has hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, squarely blaming the Pathankot terror attack on his Lahore diplomacy and saying it was time for him to focus on India rather than "trying to unite the world".
"Seven of our soldiers get martyred in return of a cup of tea with Nawaz Sharif...The only national work being done is condoling the deaths of soldiers on Twitter," it said in an editorial in party mouthpiece Saamna. "But why have these soldiers died? PM Modi is trying to unite the world, but time has now come for him to concentrate on India," it said.
Had the Congress been in power today, there would have been demands to strike at Pakistan and avenge the deaths of soldiers, but now nothing is being done about the incident, the editorial said.
The party said it had warned PM Modi not to trust Pakistan. "The Prime Minister was in Lahore only last week as a guest of his counterpart Nawaz Sharif. At that time, we had warned him not to trust Pakistan."
The incident, it said, has proven that India's borders are not safe and internal security "is in shambles". With the lives of six terrorists, "Pakistan has managed to finish India's self-respect," the editorial said.
The Shiv Sena also said that if India does not avenge the Pathankot terror attack, then displaying its military and arms and ammunition strength on Republic Day would be futile.
Lately, tension between Maharashtra's ruling allies had increased after a belligerent Sena forced the cancellation of Pakistani ghazal singer Ghulam Ali's concerts in Mumbai and Pune, despite the BJP's disapproval. The party had even said it would not change its 20-year-old stand on Pakistan to accommodate the BJP's stance.
The Shiv Sena cadres also targeted the talks between the cricket boards of India and Pakistan and their activists smeared ink on the face of veteran journalist and former LK Advani aide, Sudheendra Kulkarni at a book release function.