Modi Govt Like Butchers, BJP Won 2014 By Rigging EVMs: Shiv Sena

Ahead of no-confidence motion, Shiv Sena said those ruling India are “butchers, who save animals but kill humans”.

File image of PM Narendra Modi and Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray.

(Photo: PTI)

After a meeting earlier on Friday, 20 July, the Shiv Sena decided to abstain from voting in the no-confidence motion against the Narendra Modi-led National Democratic Alliance scheduled to take place at 6 pm on 20 July.

Despite not favouring the vote of confidence, the party published a strong editorial in its mouthpiece Saamana ,doubting the mandate with which the Modi government came to power.

Shiv Sena, an ally of the BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party), said that those ruling the country are “butchers, who save animals but kill humans.”

In an editorial in its mouthpiece ‘Saamana’, the Sena doubted the mandate with which the Modi government came to power, alleging elections were won through money, misuse of power, and tampering of EVMs.

"Those ruling the country today are butchers, who save animals but kill humans. There is an absolute lack of compassion (in the minds of the rulers)... Winning elections and remaining in power by hook or crook is not democracy. Majority is never permanent. The country's people are supreme," it said.

The Sena, which is in alliance with the BJP at the Centre and in Maharashtra, said even the Opposition knows that it does not have the numbers to dislodge this government.

"This no-confidence motion has not been brought to pull down the Modi government, but to give it a sound thrashing," it said.

Winning majority no longer means it is the people’s mandate. It has now become a tool to indulge in dictatorship. In order to seek votes, big promises are made. They play with the sentiments of the people for political gains. But the election jumlas (rhetoric) never become a reality.

Shiv Sena Statement

The Uddhav Thackeray-led party said the mandate with which this government came to power is doubtful. "When there is a question mark on one's win, one should not talk about majority." "Since the elections are being won only through the use of money, misuse of power and tampering of EVMs, democracy has become a mere scarecrow and the entire fight is now for saving this scarecrow," it added.

Although the government is patting its back for accepting the no-confidence motion, it had no choice as it could have otherwise led to the washout of the Monsoon session, it claimed.

Stating that the Telugu Desam Party, which moved the no-trust motion was once a part of the NDA and Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana leader Raju Shetti, who spearheaded the milk agitation in Maharashtra, was also an ally, the Sena asked the government to “introspect” why they quit the alliance.

"After 25 years of alliance, you (BJP) mistrusted us for your ego. But ultimately the ego was crushed after you faced repeated losses in the by-polls in the country," it said, adding that the BJP has launched efforts to forge an alliance.

The Sena said people have been stabbed in the back on issues ranging from Kashmir to "achhe din", from reducing inflation to scrapping the Nanar refinery project in Maharashtra.

The promise of "achhe din" was a hit election campaign plank of the BJP ahead of the 2014 general elections.