'Delhi burning... Amit Shah missing': Shiv Sena hits out at Centre in Saamana editorial

The Shiv Sena on Friday released another firebrand editorial piece in party mouthpiece 'Saamana', launching a fresh set of assaults at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The editorial mainly questioned the role of Union Home Minister Amit Shah in handling the Delhi Riots, over the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), that had ensued over the past few days.

The 'Saamana' editorial slammed Amit Shah and said that while Delhi is burning, the Home Minister is nowhere to be seen. It also said that 'hyper-nationalism' and 'communalism' are taking the country 100 years behind.

Shiv Sena said that in this situation, had any other party been in power against the BJP, they would have demanded the resignation of the Home Minister and gheraoed the Rashtrapati Bhavan. But since the BJP is in power now and the opposition is weak, it will not happen, the editorial said.

The Sena mouthpiece also slammed the BJP-led NDA government over the recent official reception of United States President Donald Trump during the latter's two-day India visit.

"Half of the Centre's cabinet went to Ahmedabad just to say "Hello, hello saaheb!" to US President Trump," the Shiv Sena wrote in apparent mockery, "Meanwhile, the capital was burning. Among the 38 people killed in Delhi, there are security officers. Who will answer for their deaths?"

The Saamana editorial further targetted Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah for not addressing issues on time. It said that before the Delhi Elections, Shah had organised door-to-door campaigns for the BJP to raise awareness among the public regarding the party's stance. However, the same kind of prompt action was not observed during the Delhi Riots, the Shiv Sena mouthpiece alleged. The editorial pointed out that Modi had appealed for peace on the third day and National Security Adviser Ajit Doval had visited the violence-hit areas on the fourth day. "However, the damage had already been done by then," Shiv Sena wrote.

The newspaper also hit out at the Centre over the transfer of Justice S Muralidhar from the Delhi High Court to Punjab.

"Justice Muralidhar pointed out that a 1984-like situation cannot be repeated. Justice Muralidhar gave a voice to the public's anger. Within 24 hours, he was transferred. What did Justice Muralidhar say wrong? He spoke the truth. The central government kills the truth expressed by the court because the government cannot tolerate criticism," the firebrand editorial stated.

Finally, the paper shifted its focus to the future and lamented that "'hyper-nationalism' and 'communalism' are taking the country hundreds of years behind". It said that the economy and the market is going to collapse, but under the current regime, the market for inflammatory speeches is in full swing.

"The smoke of violence in the capital is choking the country. But the Home Minister is safe! Such a case is indeed worrying," the editorial concluded.