Cong was 'silent spectator' when jawans were killed by

A Shiv Sena member in Lok Sabha on Wednesday accused the Congress, its ally in Maharashtra, of being a "silent spectator" when jawans were killed by terrorists and the national tricolour was burnt in Jammu and Kashmir.

Participating in a debate on the budgetary proposals and demand for grants for the union territories of Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh, Arvind Sawant of the Shiv Sena said the party was thankful to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for taking the "bold step" of abrogating Article 370 provisions, which gave special status to the erstwhile state.

He said Article 370 abrogation had been a long-standing demand of Bal Thackeray, the founder of the Shiv Sena.

He wondered as to why the Opposition never expressed pain and anguish over burning of the national tricolour.

"They didn't express pain when jawans are killed...we will together say 'Bharat Mata KI Jai'. We don't require the ruling party's permission to say 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai'," he said.

When youth pelt stones on police forces, he said, the House doesn't express agony.

He also said that "the Congress is our ally in Maharashtra but principles of the party remains intact."