By IANS

MUMBAI: The Shiv Sena expressed concern here on Thursday over the increasing separatist tendencies in the youth that threaten to push the country into a never-ending turmoil like in Iraq or Afghanistan.

In a veiled attack on the Centre, it sought to know why in the past five years such talks of 'breaking up' the country have increased, why highly educated persons are speaking in a 'separatist language', including Sharjeel Imam -- an IIT-Bombay graduate pursuing his doctorate from the JNU -- and "who is poisoning their minds?"

"It's not a question of one Sharjeel or another Kanhaiya Kumar, but the whole trend of pushing the youth towards separatism. In Maharashtra, well-known intellectuals and activists have been slapped with sedition charges. The country's social and religious unity is practically finished," the party said in twin edits in 'Saamana' and 'Dopahar Ka Saamana'.

READ| Sharjeel Imam's words more dangerous than Kanhaiya Kumar's: Amit Shah

It warned that efforts were being made to further divide the Hindus and Muslims, and plunge the nation into a never-ending civil turmoil like Afghanistan, Iraq, etc.

The Sena said that ideas like 'National Solidarity' were being destroyed in the experiments conducted in 'political laboratories' and it seems that if such dangerous activities continue, the future will be over now itself.

Slamming JNU student-activist Sharjeel as a 'separatist snake', the Sena said his statements have served to malign the ongoing countrywide agitations against the CAA-NRC-NPR.

"There are anti-CAA agitations around the country, but nowhere has anybody made anti-national statements. This snake called Sharjeel Imam's inflammatory, anti-national and treacherous statements have defamed the entire movement", the Shiv Sena said.

Taking umbrage at Sharjeel's alleged statements that "if the Muslims unite, they could cut off the Chicken Neck and separate the entire Northeast and Assam from India, the Sena said: "His (Sharjeel's) hand should be chopped off and hung on the Chicken Neck highway."

It added that the Chicken Neck refers to a 22-km wide strip of land that links India and the Northeast states and by his utterances, Sharjeel has shamed all the Muslims in the country.

The Sena rued that these statements made before students of the Aligarh Muslim University and the crowds at Shaheen Bagh have given the Bharatiya Janata Party a 'ready-made' issue to exploit in the ongoing Delhi Assembly elections.

"His statements amount to separatism and treason. They have been condemned by the anti-CAA activists all over India. The 'bhakts' should stop gloating that they have done something great by arresting Sharjeel since any other government would also have done it," said the edit.

Supporting Union Home Minister Amit Shah's response in the matter, the Sena said instead of playing politics in this matter, it should destroy such 'insects'.

"Yes 'Urban Naxalites' exist", and if highly educated people are being poisoned politically to spread terror, what else can be expected. One Sharjeel has been arrested, but what's the guarantee that more won't crop up? That's the government's responsibility," the edit concluded.