After PM's Pawar jibe, Shiv Sena (UBT) asks 'what did Modi do in 10 years'

Mumbai, Oct 28 (IANS) Two days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's much-debated jibe targeting Nationalist Congress Party President Sharad Pawar – without naming him – Maha Vikas Aghadi ally Shiv Sena (UBT) rose to his defence and countered, "what had Modi done in 10 years", here on Saturday.

In sharp edits in ‘'Saamana' and 'Dopahar Ka Saamana', the Shiv Sena (UBT)'s publications, the party said that at least Modi could have checked his past comments on Pawar before talking exactly the opposite now.

"It was the Modi government which conferred Padma Vibhushan on Pawar for his contributions to the agriculture and social sectors… Just 4-5 years ago, Modi praised Pawar’s work and leadership qualities, how had helped Gujarat as the Union Agriculture Minister, and that he (Modi) came into politics holding Pawar’s finger," said the Saamana edit.

Today, everything has changed, there is no consistency in Modi’s words and actions and this is a sign of a confused mentality, said the edits.

Hitting out hard, the Saamana retorted, "What has PM Modi done for the country" and listed various issues, alleging he has made life in India difficult with his policies.

"Many affluent people no longer want to live in India and are migrating to other countries.The BJP has made this country ‘unlivable’, people are scared, farmers are committing suicide, the youth is frustrated…" slammed Saamana.

Under the BJP regime, public enterprises have been shut down, unemployment has increased, existing jobs have disappeared, big industrialists defaulted on loans which the Modi government waived off, but farmers' homes are being seized for not paying even paltry loans of Rs 5000-10,000, while those businessmen who financed the BJP have fled abroad without repaying their bank loans.

It cited how China has entered Ladakh, infiltration continues in Jammu & Kashmir, the promise of Kashmiri Pandit returning home remains unfulfilled, there were riots in Gujarat under Modi tenure (as CM) and now Manipur is burning.

The Indian Rupee had slid against the US Dollar which was Rs 55 in 2014 but has now fallen to Rs 82, the big assurances made to farmers on MSP and doubling their incomes are not fulfilled, the tillers had to fight against the three black agricultural laws which were finally withdrawn.

Referring to Modi's Shirdi trip on Thursday and his frequent visits, the edit said there was nothing wrong as Maharashtra has always been weak for the Bharatiya Janata Party vis-à-vis Lok Sabha elections, so it needs more focus.

However, even in Shirdi, the PM came and told a lie defaming Pawar even as breakaway NCP (AP) chief and Deputy CM Ajit Pawar, whom he had named in the Rs 70,000-crore irrigation scam, sat near him quietly. "Ajit Pawar is the answer to Modi's charges… He was groomed by his uncle Sharad Pawar, the BJP could 'break' Ajit Pawar, but the 82-year-old Sharad Pawar is still around… This is what Modi is scared of," said the edit.