Rakhi Sawant can govern better than Kejriwal: Shiv Sena

The Shiv Sena, perhaps unnerved by the widespread talk that Mumbai will be the next bastion to fall to Aam Aadmi Party fever after Delhi, has  jumped to the defence of senior Congressman and Union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde.

Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray. PTI

While the Aam Aadmi Party has protested Shinde's use of the Marathi word 'yeda' or fool to describe Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, the Sena's mouthpiece Saamna has gone further and called Kejriwal and Co a "carnival of fools".

An editorial  published in today's edition points to author Chetan Bhagat, once a supporter of AAP's innovative methods, claiming, "Bhagat calls AAP the item girl of Indian politics."

 

The editorial goes on to declare, "Even item girl Rakhi Sawant can govern better than Kejriwal... If this is the culture of the Aam Aadmi Party and if this is the kind of anarchy they want to spread, then one has to accept that there is an anti-national force behind this."

Addressing Kejriwal, it says his party "accidentally" assumed power in the national capital, but that does not bestow on him the right to stand on the roadside and call people names. "He used disrespectful language while speaking about Union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde -- what kind of culture is this? Only thieves and lafangas use such language," the editorial says.

Calling it a rule by mobs and majoritarianism, and doing exactly what the party has been opposing all along, the paper asks whether this is what the people  of Delhi voted him to power for.

Shinde's statement that Kejriwal is a 'yeda' or fool only reflects people's views, it said. It also made a reference to Kumar Vishwas's statements about women too, adding that Vishwas was eventually forced to apologise.

"In every carnival, thieves, pick-pockets , men with performing monkeys, snake-charmers, performers with sleight of hand tricks and masseurs, all peddling their wares. But when the carnival ends, these guys go home. Until then, the item girl will dance," Saamna concludes with a lyrical flourish.