Sena continues commentary on PM's I-Day speech; fires fresh salvo against 'Aatmanirbhar'

After taking a dig at the Central government over its push for self-reliance on Sunday, the Shiv Sena on Monday said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi should have spoken about employment generation and measures to revive the economy in his address to the nation on the Independence Day.

'This number is going to increase'

In an editorial in its mouthpiece Saamana, Sena said that in his nearly 90 minutes speech the Prime Minister spoke about the Corona vaccine trials in India, the country's defence ability, National Digital Health Mission, among other things, but questioned whether the "Aatmanirbhar" Bharat scheme which is being hyped would be able to tide over the economic crisis caused by the Coronavirus pandemic?

"Till now around 14 crore people in the country have lost their jobs. In future, this number is going to increase. People have to get out of their homes, but what will they do once they are getting out? Jobs, businesses and employment has been destroyed. It would have been better if the Prime Minister would have spoken about these," the editorial read.

'Speed up the country's economy'

BJP's ex-ally further said that although our country's "Army and Air Force are there to safeguard country's borders and keep enemies at bay, how will we fight the devil of hunger and joblessness which is running amok in the country?"

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It also put out a jibe at Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh's speech on Independence Day. "Defence Minister Rajnath Singh had stated during the flag hoisting on Independence Day that India has the ability to speed up the global economy. Leave alone the world Sir, speed up the country's economy. Independence Day comes and goes, the Red Fort is the same, the problems and woes are still the same," it read.

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On Sunday, lauding Russia for the vaccine, Raut, in his weekly column 'Rokhtokh' in the Shiv Sena mouthpiece said this was a sign of being a superpower, and added that Indian politicians will not follow Russia's example as a model since "they are in love with America".

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"Delhi (the national capital) was never under such terror like it is now due to the coronavirus. There was fear of Modi and (Home Minister Amit) Shah earlier, but the fear of corona is more than that," he said. The Rajya Sabha member claimed Delhi has "come to a standstill" and that this is serious.

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(With agency inputs)