Will uproot those who have challenged us: Shiv Sena

“We promise that we will uproot those who have challenged us,” the party added.

The editorial referred to Union Parliamentary Minister Pralhad Joshi’s statement that Sena was out of NDA, as it was tying up with Congress and NCP to form a government in Maharashtra. “He (Joshi) is not aware of the Shiv Sena’s spirit and NDA’s actions and deeds. When nobody was ready to align with the BJP and the words such as Hindutva and nationalism were not liked in politics, the Sena aligned with you then and prior to that as well with the Jan Sangh. So, those who ousted Sena from NDA need to understand the history,” it said.

It added that when Balasaheb Thackeray, Atal Behari Vajpayee, L K Advani, Parkash Singh Badal and George Fernandes had laid the foundation of the NDA, the current crop of BJP leaders in Delhi were nowhere and some had not even been born at that time.

Equating the BJP with Muslim ruler Muhammad Ghori, the editorial said, “Muhammad Ghori, who laid the foundation of the Muslim rule in India, fought in all 18 battles with Hindu king Prithviraj Chauhan. Of 18, Ghori lost 17 battles with Chauhan, who spared him all the times. But when Ghori won the 18th battle, he killed Chauhan.”

“Even in Maharashtra, the Shiv Sena has spared such ungrateful people several times and now they are trying to backstab us,” it added, without mentioning the BJP by name.

Taking on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Sena said: “When everyone was against, Sena supremo Baalsaheb saved (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi. And BJP got a muharat to ouster Balasaheb’s organisation on his death anniversary.” The party was referring to the 2002 Gujarat riots, following which, then Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee had appealed for “rajdharma” to prevail. It was seen as a hint to Modi, then Gujarat chief minister, to step down. Thackeray had then come out in Modi’s support, saying “Modi gaya toh Gujarat gaya”.

The editorial went on to question whether BJP had sought permission from NDA before allying with Mehbooba Mufti’s PDP in Jammu and Kashmir earlier or with Nitish Kumar’s JD(U), despite it being well known that the Bihar chief minister had severely criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi.