Sena hails development works of Cong, targets BJP over 'raincoat' remark

Referring to Indira Gandhi, the Sena said the former PM taught Pakistan a lesson in the 1971 war

The Shiv Sena on Friday hailed the development works done by successive Congress governments at the Centre and again targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying he is not ready to admit the "chaos" created by the note ban exercise.

About Modi's "raincoat" remark against former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, it said being in power with the corrupt is also corruption.

But for the work done by the Congress governments, Modi would be governing a backward nation in Africa, an editorial in Sena mouthpiece 'Saamana' said.

"Modi is not ready to accept the chaos demonetisation has caused. His personal advertisement machinery tries to hide every wrong policy of his government and leaves no stone unturned to attack the Congress. Modi should come out of this negative perception now," it said.

"Even if one believes the Congress governed while indulging in corruption, it transformed the nation, which could not even produce a needle during Independence, to one that is at the forefront of economic and industrial development. The previous rulers have made India what it is today," it said.

Referring to Modi's "raincoat" remark, it said being in power with the corrupt is also corruption. Therefore, even if one wears a raincoat and bathes, the body is bound to get wet.

"Today, if you do not believe with closed eyes that the previous government only indulged in corruption, you will be termed as an anti-national and killed," the ruling alliance partner said sarcastically.

Referring to Indira Gandhi, the Sena said the former Prime Minister taught Pakistan a lesson in the 1971 war, never displayed a hypocritical stand on anti-nationals, did not trouble the poor by demonetising currency notes and was thus nicknamed 'Durga' by Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

"Her strong will was the nation's shield. She nationalised banks, made better the nation's economy, gunned down Khalistani terrorists and gave the message that India will not bend before terrorists. She sacrificed her life for the nation," it said.

Eulogising Rajiv Gandhi, the Sena said, "He had the will to govern by clean means. He may have got the taint of Bofors, but he has to be credited with bringing computers to India. The development of technology today is only because he laid a strong foundation."

"Narasimha Rao and Manmohan Singh were successful in saving the nation from economic imbalance. Had all this not happened in the last 60 years, Modi would today be governing a nation like Somalia or Burundi," it said.