Shiv Sena(UBT) targets Centre, Maha govt over extortion threats, bulletproof shield for Big B

Mumbai: Launching a scathing attack on the Centre and the state government, Shiv Sena Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray on Wednesday cited visuals of megastar Amitabh Bachchan greeting fans from behind a bulletproof glass enclosure as evidence of a total breakdown in law and order under the current administration.

In a sharp editorial in the party's mouthpiece, 'Saamana', the Thackray camp targeted Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, asserting that the state of public safety in the country has deteriorated to an alarming low.

The editorial noted that the 84-year-old cinematic icon -- a national treasure with no political enmities -- was forced to wave at his weekly fans outside his Juhu bungalow, Jalsa, enclosed within bulletproof glass following a recent threat perception.

Pointing to recent firing incidents near actor Tiger Shroff’s vehicle and extortion demands served to bullion merchants in Nagpur, the editorial questioned why high-profile film personalities, business tycoons, and ordinary citizens are living under constant siege.

The Uddhav Thackeray camp questioned why criminal syndicates, particularly the Lawrence Bishnoi network, continue to operate with apparent impunity. It alleged that a Home Ministry decree preventing state police forces from taking Bishnoi into custody from Gujarat’s Sabarmati Jail has effectively granted the jailed gangster an "invisible security blanket".

Mocking the ruling leadership's political rallies and claims of handling national security, the editorial asserted that an administration unable to protect its top citizens and dismantle basic criminal networks has lost its moral authority, and called for Home Minister Amit Shah's resignation.

"While the ruling leadership stages high-profile rallies under heavy police protection, ordinary citizens, builders, and film icons live in constant terror. How many citizens can the state furnish with specialised defence shields?" asked the editorial.

The editorial concluded by highlighting the stark contrast between the government's boasts of political dominance and its failure to guarantee basic physical safety for prominent public figures and business owners across Maharashtra.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

IANS

[email protected]