Shiv Sena targets PM Modi with 'Lord Vishnu' jibe

Taking a swipe at Narendra Modi, the Shiv Sena on Tuesday said the Prime Minister is a "reincarnation of Lord Vishnu which is probably why he has been travelling across the world to give a darshan to his devotees". The Sena, in its mouthpiece 'Saamana', also asked what has the nation gained out of the international tours by PM Modi.  

"What did India gain in return?... First, the Rafale jet deal was signed with France in which allegations of corruption have sprung up. Then, America objected to India signing a deal with Russia for its S-400 air defence missile system. When India signed the deal, America (now) wants India to buy F-16 fighter jets to placate itself after the India-Russia pact," the Shiv Sena, which is part of the ruling BJP-led alliance at the Centre and in Maharashtra, said.

Questioning alleged the F-16 fighter jets deal, the party said the US has already sold the aircraft to Pakistan, so the neighbouring country has all the "secret details" of the aircraft, yet the Donald Trump administration wants to sell them to India.      

"The day there is peace between India and Pakistan, several countries with large economies will be forced to beg for money, so they do not want peace. These nations always want instability in Iraq, Iran, Syria, Libya, Egypt, Afghanistan, Pakistan and India," the editorial in the Marathi daily said.

The Shiv Sena has directly targeted Modi in the last a few days. Recently, addressing the party's annual Dussehra rally in central Mumbai, its chief Uddhav Thackeray said he would visit Ayodhya on November 25 and questioned Modi over the construction of a Ram temple there. 

Thackeray also said a "2014-like wave" is not prevailing in the country. The BJP had attributed its 2014 electoral success to the "Modi wave".

(With PTI inputs)