Shivaji would never wish Aurangzeb, says Shiv Sena mouthpiece Saamana

MUMBAI: In a veiled dig at prime minister Narendra Modi for wishing his Pakistan counterpart Nawaz Sharif on his birthday amid the chill in relations between the two countries, Shiv Sena on Tuesday invoked Shivaji saying the warrior king never extended such greetings to the “nation’s enemies”.
Significantly, the Sena's barb at Modi came within days of his laying the foundation for a memorial to Shivaji in Mumbai.The ally also voiced its displeasure over the BJP supporters chanting the PM’s name during a public meeting addressed by Modi, which was also attended by Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray. “What is outstanding about Shivaji Maharaj’s thoughts is that he considered enemies of swarajya as enemies of the nation. Shivaji Maharaj never extended birthday greetings to Aurangzeb, Afzal Khan and Shaista Khan,” an editorial in Sena newspaper Saamna said.
During the build-up to ‘jal pujan’ for the memorial, Sena did not hide its feeling that BJP has sought to “hijack” the event for claiming the legacy of the Maratha icon to secure mileage.
“We only ask politicians not to use Shivaji to play low-grade politics. Those who claim rights on the Chhattrapati will bite the dust in the end. They would do well remember the history,” the editorial said today.
Sena, however, said it understood the importance of Modi in the BJP, and that his party is what it is today only due to the “Modi tonic”.
“While the Sainiks and Shivaji fans were chanting slogans hailing Shivaji, BJP workers were shouting slogans in the name of Modi. Can anyone compare himself to Shivaji? Modi himself will not approve of this,” Sena said. During the public meeting addressed by Modi on Sunday, Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray’s speech was interrupted by BJP supporters present among the audience by chanting “Modi, Modi,”. agencies