Sena invokes Trump to taunt BJP over Arnab's arrest

Taking a swipe at the Bharatiya Janata Party, the ruling Shiv Sena on Saturday likened the hue and cry over the arrest of television journalist Arnab Goswami with the reaction of Donald Trump to the outcome of the United States Presidential elections.

An editorial in the Sena mouthpiece Saamana said the reaction of Trump who is on the verge of defeat amounted to belittling the post he was holding.

"Just like Trump's actions that included spreading fake news and demanding that counting of votes be stopped and moving the court are against the law and prestige of America, BJP leaders in Maharashtra are protesting against the arrest of a suspected accused in an abetment to suicide case," the Sena said without naming Goswami, editor-in-chief of Republic TV.

The BJP had alleged that the arrest of Goswami by Raigad police on Wednesday in the 2018 case was politically motivated and amounted to muzzling the freedom of press.

"When prime minister Narendra Modi was chief minister of Gujarat, BJP leaders, including (incumbent Union home minister) Amit Shah, were tried in several cases of (2002) Gujarat riots. They were acquitted as per law, but the BJP did not say then that the actions (cases) were politically motivated or part of vendetta," the editorial said.

The Sena further alleged that the BJP was maligning the image of the family members of Anvay Naik, the interior designer who had committed suicide in 2018 allegedly over non-payment of dues by Republic TV.

Referring to posters showing Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray with Indira Gandhi, who had imposed Emergency in 1975, the Sena said the comparison with the late prime minister was a matter of pride.

"The BJP has gone out of its mind by putting up posters of Uddhav Thackeray and Indira Gandhi reminding people of Emergency, in Delhi. This is not only childishness but also ignorance. Comparison with Indira Gandhi is a matter of pride. The iron lady had avenged partition of our country by breaking Pakistan in 1971," the editorial said.

The Congress is one of the constituents of the Sena-led Maha Vikas Aghadi government in Maharashtra, apart from the Nationalist Congress Party.

The Sena also took a swipe at the BJP for announcing wearing of black badges by its leaders until Goswami is released.

"Thankfully, they haven't resorted to jail bharo and fasting as part of protests," the editorial said.