The Shiv Sena today launched a veiled attack on the BJP-led Centre in connection with the killing of Karnataka journalist Gauri Lankesh and sought to know whether a "covert system" is in place for "silencing" people who oppose a certain school of thought.
The Uddhav Thackeray-led party termed the incident as a "blot on humanity and on the country's reputation".
"Is a secret system active behind an iron curtain for silencing those people who oppose a certain school of thought?" an editorial published in the party mouthpiece 'Saamana' said.
Sena said gunning down of the scribe was an "inhuman act".
"The attack on Gauri Lankesh is inhuman. Though some people may not have liked her editorials or reportage, but the attack is a blot on humanity and on the country's reputation as well. While some were cheering for a woman becoming defence minister, another woman is getting killed...What does this signify," it said, referring to Nirmala Sitharaman's appointment as defence minister.
Taking a swipe at the BJP, the editorial slammed a Jain monk for "appealing to people to vote for the BJP" in a civic poll.
The reference of the monk was made in connection with the recently-held election to Meera Bhayander municipal corporation neighbouring Mumbai. The Jain seer had allegedly appealed to people to vote for the BJP. Sena lost the election badly while the BJP captured the power at the civic body.
"Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself had expressed concerns over cow vigilantes and on the other hand a Jain priest is campaigning against Sena because we had supported consumption of non-vegetarian food. Isn't it a kind of the justification of violence? Surprisingly, the leaders of the ruling party bow their heads before such priests," it said.
Against the backdrop of isolated incidents in Mumbai in the past wherein some housing societies refused to sell flats to non-vegetarians, the edit said, "One should explain what is to be done with those people who oppose someone from purchasing a flat in a building over eating habits".
"Recently inducted Union minister Alphons Kannanthanam supported consumption of beef. However, neither any monk nor gau rakshaks spoke against this, but Gauri Lankesh was gunned down".
Sena admitted that the party didn't agree with the slain scribe's way of thinking.
"Even Underworld dons never killed a woman. However, in the case of Lankesh, all limits were crossed by the attackers," the editorial said.
Disclaimer: No Business Standard Journalist was involved in creation of this content
