In highly controversial remarks, the Shiv Sena has exhorted Hindus to act as “human bombs” and invade Pakistan, and said that its founder, Bal Thackeray, had instilled the “fear of Hindus” in other Indians.
The comments came in the context of the controversy over the latest issue of the weekly magazine Tehelka depicting Thackeray as a terrorist. Taking umbrage at the cover story, the Sena, in an editorial in its mouthpiece, Saamna , on Tuesday lambasted the magazine, and said publishing the objectionable article against the Sena founder was as good as “spitting at the sun”.
The editorial eulogised his strong-arm Hindutva ideology.
The Tehelka cover pictures don Dawood Ibrahim, 1993 blasts convict Yakub Memon, who was hanged recently, Sikh extremist Jarnail Singh Bindranwale and Bal Thackeray, with a primer, “Who is the biggest terrorist?”.
Objecting to the depiction, the Saamna editorial says that while the first three were religious extremists propelled by blind faith (dharmaandh), Mr. Thackeray was proud of his religion (dharmabhimaani). The people were proud of his nationalism, it said.
“Hindus should be able to live in this country with pride. A Hindu’s voice should be like a lion’s roar. Hindus will have to be highly religious if they want to answer Pakistani extremists,” it said.
Though the Saamna asked Shiv Sena cadre not to get incited by the “provocation”, as it would only give the magazine undue publicity, the newspaper warned that if people’s anger rose further, they would be “dancing on the grave” of the publication.
The Sena raked up the rape case against former Tehelka Editor Tarun Tejpal and alleged that its latest cover story was a publicity stunt as it had lost popularity.
The Saamna editorial elicited condemnation on social media, with many taking sarcastic jibes at the Sena leadership.
