PM Narendra Modi on Friday sharply criticized the 'fake' Shiv Sena following allegations that the party's leader, Sanjay Raut, had threatened to 'bury' the Prime Minister and had drawn parallels between Modi and Aurangzeb.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday launched a scathing attack on 'fake' Shiv Sena, following alleged remarks by the party's leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut drawing parallels between the PM and Mughal emperor Aurangzeb. PM Modi also indirectly attacked the leader of Shiv Sena (UBT) for purportedly discussing burying the prime minister, which the BJP asserted constitutes a 'direct threat' to the PM's safety.
Addressing a public meeting in Maharashtra's Nandurbar, PM Modi said, "These fake Shiv Sena people are talking about burying me alive. On one side there is Congress which says 'Modi teri kabr khudegi' and on the other side, there is this fake Shiv Sena that talks about burying me alive. Even while abusing me, they take full care of appeasement. Will you abuse me the way your 'vote bank' likes? At times, I feel really sad when I think about how sad would Bala Saheb Thackeray be."
PM Modi also took a jibe at the 'fake' Shiv Sena after Ibrahim Moosa, one of the accused of the 1993 bombings in then Bombay, was allegedly seen campaigning for Maha Vikas Aghadi's (MVA) candidate for Mumbai North West Lok Sabha constituency Amol Kirtikar on Wednesday.
"Now this fake Shiva Sena have also started taking bomb blast convicts along with them for election campaigns. This means that in Maharashtra, bomb blasts convicts are being carried on the party's shoulders. Those who need to walk along with such sinners... I am not surprised that they are dreaming about burying me. Matru Shakti will protect me. They will never be able to bury me either dead or alive," PM Modi further stated.
PM Narendra Modi lashed out at Shiv Sena (UBT) leader and MP Sanjay Raut's comments. pic.twitter.com/BVSdog7XT1
— Asianet Newsable (@AsianetNewsEN)Meanwhile, the BJP on Thursday wrote to the Election Commission and Mumbai police seeking action against Sanjay Raut. While addressing a public meeting in Ahmednagar, Raut reportedly said, "We have buried Aurangzeb in Maharashtra, then who is Narendra Modi for us."
BJP’s Maharashtra unit alleged in its complaint that such comments are a "direct threat" to the life of the PM,.
"Raut in his public rally in Ahmednagar had threatened to bury Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Maharashtra. He also tried drawing a parallel between Modi and Aurangzeb. Such comments potentially lead to communal disharmony and affect the peaceful process of election campaign," the BJP said in its complaint letter to the EC.
"His comments are a direct threat to the life of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. EC officials should take appropriate action against Raut and ensure such comments are not repeated in future," the BJP's complaint further added.
Dharmpal Meshram, the Maharashtra state vice-president and spokesperson of the BJP, has also filed a complaint with the Nagpur Police against Raut. Additionally, he lodged a complaint with the state election commission via email, urging for stringent action against Sanjay Raut and labeling his statement as a direct threat to the Prime Minister's life.