Counting the failures of the Modi government, Shiv Sena on Monday launched another attack on the Modi government in an editorial in its mouthpiece, ‘Saamana’.
Day after the much-awaited Cabinet reshuffle inducted several new faces from the BJP, the Sena made its displeasure clear in this article. It said that none of the ministers have been able to achieve anything stellar so far for people to expect much from them.
“Note-ban was a complete failure. Inflation and unemployment have gone up. The need of food, shelter and home are equally critical even today. Students and parents are in a fix due to the apathy in universities of Mumbai. Floods have ravaged Bihar, Assam, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh, causing an epidemic. Child deaths continue in government hospitals. Which ministry has solved which problem really?” the editorial asked.
It also questioned the timing of the Cabinet reshuffle and asked why it was done in such a hurry right before the Prime Minister had to leave for China.
“Cabinet reshuffle is like playing cards. One never knows when a joker will become the king. Also, we don’t understand the connection between the PM’s China visit and Cabinet reshuffle. It was said that he will bring about changes in the Cabinet before leaving for China. But why? Is it that China would get upset if Modi did not have the list of new Cabinet ministers in his pocket? Is it that it would then revive the Doklam issue? The PM could have done the reshuffling even after his return,” the editorial said.
Shiv Sena further said that even after completing three years at the Centre, PM Narendra Modi continues to experiment with his Cabinet, while the country awaits the magic called ‘achhe din’.
“Cabinet reshuffling was the need of the hour for BJP. It has now been fulfilled. That’s it. There have been some shocking decisions in it though,” it said.
Meanwhile, Uddhav Thackeray was upset for no involvement in the reshuffling exercise. When asked about it on Saturday, he had said that he came to know of the reshuffling only through the media. “We haven’t received any call. Any way, we are not greedy for power,” Thackeray said.
It was speculated that a Shiv Sena MP would get a ministerial berth in the current Cabinet expansion. But none of the allies have been given any share in it. The Sena is upset that the BJP has been taking unilateral decisions without involving any of its NDA allies. When asked about it, senior Shiv Sena leader and executive editor of Saamana, Sanjay Raut said that it was as if the NDA does not exist.
