Sena’s reaction came a day after former prime minister Manmohan Singh targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi. (File photo) Sena’s reaction came a day after former prime minister Manmohan Singh targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi. (File photo)

Shiv Sena on Tuesday launched a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying his reference to Pakistan’s alleged undue interest in the Gujarat Assembly elections was an “impious” way of trying to win the polls.

Sena’s reaction came a day after former prime minister Manmohan Singh targeted PM Modi over his claim that “Pakistan is interfering in the Gujarat election” and members of the Congress “secretly” met Pakistani officials at suspended leader Mani Shankar Aiyar’s house.

“Prime Minister Modi has levelled a serious charge that Pakistan is interfering in Gujarat polls. We can understand the worries of Modi but a PM is supposed to take action and not level allegations,” the Sena said in an editorial in party mouthpiece ‘Saamana’.

Modi, while addressing an election rally in Banaskantha district on Sunday, had referred to a purported tweet by a former Pakistan army director general, who allegedly said Ahmed Patel, the political secretary to Congress president Sonia Gandhi, should be made the chief minister of Gujarat. “Why is Pakistan’s senior retired army officer exercising his brain in the Gujarat election?” Modi had said.

PM Modi also said it was a “serious and sensitive issue” that a “secret meeting” was hosted by former Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar during the Pakistan’s former foreign affairs minister Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri visit to India.

“Pakistan’s High Commissioner, former foreign minister, India’s former vice-president and India’s former prime minister Manmohan Singh all met at Aiyar’s house, held a meeting for three hours, and then the next day, Mani Shankar calls Modi ‘neech.’ This is a serious and sensitive issue, being a meeting with the Pakistan High Commissioner. Also, what is the reason for such a secret meeting amidst Gujarat elections?” Modi had said.

The Saamana editorial further mocked Modi over his changed rhetoric in the wake of Gujarat elections.

“Gujarat has become even more important than Kashmir. Until yesterday, Pakistan was interfering in Kashmir and China was interfering in Leh, Ladakh, and Arunachal Pradesh,” it said.

The Chinese troops had recently crossed over to the Indian side from Sikkim border, but if the prime minister worries more about Pakistan in Gujarat, it makes the Sena worry too, the editorial said.

Nowadays, in all elections, either Pakistan or fugitive underworld don Dawood Ibrahim is brought to the forefront, the Sena mouthpiece quipped.

It further said that BJP’s national president Amit Shah had also invoked Pakistan during Bihar elections.

“The country expects Modi to work. How many times will you chant Pakistan’s name? Even people like (BJP veteran) Yashwant Sinha and Nana Patole level allegations,” the Sena said.

Earlier, the prime minister was also mocked by the Congress for his seaplane development plank. PM Modi on Tuesday arrived in Ahmedabad on Tuesday, the last day of campaigning ahead of the second phase of voting for the Gujarat Assembly elections. He travelled to Dharoi Dam from Sabarmati river in a seaplane, the first to take off from the river.

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