Wasn't Navy veteran taught to respect a CM?: Shiv Sena attacks BJP, Madan Sharma

Shiv Sena, in its mouthpiece 'Saamana', took a swipe at the ex-Navy officer and said, 'wasn't Madan Sharma taught in the Navy to respect a person holding a Constitutional post?'.

Shiv Sena on Monday launched a scathing attack on Madan Sharma, the 65-year-old Navy veteran who was thrashed in Mumbai by Shiv Sena workers after he forwarded a cartoon on Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray. Shiv Sena, in its mouthpiece 'Saamana', took a swipe at the former Navy officer and said, 'wasn't Madan Sharma taught in the Navy to respect a person holding a Constitutional post?'.

Asserting that the attack on the former Navy officer by the Shiv Sainiks cannot be justified but being in the Navy, Shiv Sena said, Madan Sharma should have known how to pay respect to a chief minister elected by the people of the state, Shiv Sena said.

"In Mumbai, a retired naval officer named Madan Sharma was attacked by the Shiv Sainiks, no one would support it, it should be condemned but what did the retired officer gain by sharing a satirical cartoon on Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray who has been elected by the people of the state," Shiv Sena said.

"Honor the person sitting in the Constitutional post, wasn't this gentleman taught in the Navy?" Shiv Sena asked.

Taking a jibe at Defence Minister Rajnath Singh who spoke to Madan Sharma over the phone and inquired about his health after the attack, Shiv Sena said it was surprising that the defence minister spoke with the Navy veteran like sharing a satirical cartoon on a chief minister was a "great national work" he did.

"Will he [Madan Sharma] be given an award now?" Shiv Sena asked. "They speak against the leaders of the state you live in, you earn, live happily, and if someone breaks your face, then they use 'injustice, oppression, attack on freedom' to politicise the issue."

BJP NEVER PROTESTS IN THEIR STATES: SHIV SENA

Attacking the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over the incident, Shiv Sena said many unfortunate incidents have taken place in the BJP-ruled states but the saffron party never took to the streets.

"Earlier, Jalgaon BJP MP Unmesh Patil forced a Border Security Force soldier, Sonu Mahajan, to vacate his house. Patil supporters also attacked Sonu with a sword. Why did the BJP, which took to the streets for the naval officer today not protested in favour of an ex-soldier at that time? How many attacks on ex-servicemen have happened in states like Uttar Pradesh and Bihar?" Shiv Sena said.

Continuing the attack on the BJP, Shiv Sena brought up the Dadri lynching case victim, Mohammed Akhlaq's son who has been serving the Army and the Amethi lynching case in which retired Army officer Amanullah was killed.

"This incident happened in the BJP-ruled state recently but we never read anything about the prime minister or the defence minister speaking to Amanullah's wife," Shiv Sena said.

"But when an actress [Kangana Ranaut] disrespects Mumbai and the Mumbai Police, the BJP comes protesting on the streets," the party said in Saamana.

On September 7, Bollywood actor Kangana Ranaut, who has been at loggerheads with the Maharashtra government over the past few weeks, has been granted Y category security by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). VIPs who enjoy Y category security in India have a security detail consisting of 11 personnel, including commandos.

Shiv Sena also attacked the government for providing Y category security to Kangana Ranaut despite her 'Mumbai feels like Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir (PoK)' remark.

"In Himachal Pradesh’s Kangda village, a woman was gangraped and threatened, the government should have provided her Z category security. Why didn’t that happen? If this is discussed on a national level, then it would be great. Rest, there isn’t much left to say," Shiv Sena said.

"Will there be a discussion in Parliament on China issue, coronavirus pandemic, unemployment or Kashmir? Issues like health, daily earning of people should have been discussed at the national level but on the contrary, unnecessary issues are being raked up to deflect attention. The common man is being cheated in this manner. And Mumbai was purposefully chosen for this," the party said.