Facing flak from the Congress for his “Rambo” act in flood-hit Uttarakhand, Narendra Modi today came in for criticism by ally Shiv Sena which said his rescue efforts for Gujaratis was detrimental to his interests when he is being cheered as likely prime ministerial candidate.
“When Modi is being cheered as the likely prime ministerial candidate, it is detrimental to take a stance that he only thinks for the people of Gujarat,” Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray said in an editorial in party mouthpiece “Saamana”.
“In times of disaster, one has to have a national thinking and not parochial or regional views,” Uddhav said, slamming Gujarat chief minister’s propaganda machinery for claiming that Modi went to Uttarakhand and rescued 15,000 people from his state stranded there in a day.
Modi’s propaganda machinery should keep in mind that though he is Gujarat CM, he is now destined for a national role, Uddhav said.
On the other hand, Uddhav lauded Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan for showing the “large-hearted and magnanimous” side of the state during the ongoing rescue operations.
“Chavan, who visited Uttarakhand, made it clear that though Maharashtra’s relief machinery deputed there was for people of the state, others who were stranded there won’t be left out,” he said.
While dispatching relief material with a large team of officials, Chavan had said that though the aid was intended for people from the state stranded in Uttarakhand, other victims would not be ignored, the Sena chief said.