Demonetisation a 'nuclear bomb' strike on country: Shiv Sena targets Modi

Mumbai: With the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) election in Maharashtra just a month away, Shiv Sena has hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi by comparing demonetisation to a “nuclear bomb” that the Centre dropped on the Indian economy, akin to Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings.

Shiv Sena bashed the BJP government – its ally at the Centre – over the scrapping of Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes in an editorial in its mouthpiece Saamana.

It compared the Indian economy with Hiroshima and Nagasaki – the two cities of Japan that were destroyed when the United States dropped atomic bombs on them during the World War II.

"Modi appears to be not in a mood to listen to anybody today... Deaf and dumb parrots have been installed in the council of ministers and a similar RBI Governor has been appointed, who have let the nation's economy shake in its roots," the editorial said.

"Even ASSOCHAM has concluded that 40 lakh jobs have been lost post demonetisation and that the number will rise in future. This means that by dropping the nuclear bomb of note ban, Modi has turned the Indian economy into Hiroshima, Nagasaki. We are very worried about the nation's future," it said.

Recalling Modi's statement during a recent visit to Maharashtra that he used to seek Sharad Pawar's advice on matters of governance, Sena said that had the PM consulted the NCP chief on demonetisation, he would have advised him not to insult the co-operative movement, which is the backbone of rural economy.

"The backbone of farmers has been broken and nobody is there to ask about their condition. By barring district co-operative (DCC) banks from exchanging old notes, all such banks have been labelled corrupt," the editorial said.

Farmers use DCC banks for their daily transactions and if the government thinks these farmers are black-marketers, it has no right to say 'Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan' slogan, the party said.

The Sena noted that beleaguered liquor baron Vijay Mallya, who allegedly owe banks crores of rupees, had never had his loans from DCC banks.

"We are pained to see that the paces of lives of people have been derailed," it added.

Shiv Sena’s comments against the BJP government came about a month ahead of the BMC election, for which the two parties are holding discussions on their prospective alliance for the upcoming BMC polls.

The BJP has been emphasising repeatedly that it would forge an alliance with the Sena only on the condition of clean functioning. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis also raised the issue of transparency and criticised corruption in the BMC.

The Sena, however, said the norms should be extended at the central and state government levels as well.