Wonder if Obamas will shift to India: Shiv Sena

Mumbai: In a sarcastic take on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s bonhomie with Barack Obama, key BJP ally Shiv Sena today wondered if the US President will shift to India when his term gets over.

The Sena also slammed the US for pursuing a “dual policy” towards India and Pakistan.

“US President has become a good friend of PM Modi. Their relationship is so deep that we wonder if the Obama family will shift to Surat, Rajkot, Porbandar, Manali, Mahabaleshwar or Delhi post his retirement. No other Indian PM would have got so much love from an American President in the past,” the Sena said in an editorial in party mouthpiece ‘Saamana.’ Obama’s presidency is set to end on January 20, 2017.

The Sena said that Modi thanking America for standing by India in its times of need is only an example of his courteous nature.

“But, it is the same America, which has not stopped its policy of helping Pakistan financially or providing them with arms and ammunition. On one hand, America helps India fight terrorism and on the other, sells F-16 fighter jets to the terrorist nation. This policy of America is dangerous,” it said.

Noting that it was true that America has warned Pakistan to take action against the perpetrators of terror at Pathankot IAF base, Sena sought to know who will take action against the terrorists.

“America enters a country where its enemy (apparently referring to Osama Bin Laden) is hiding and guns him down, but for India, it only gives warnings. This duplicity needs to be understood,” the Sena said.

Treating Pathankot attack on par with 26/11, Obama in a clear message asked Pakistan to punish the perpetrators and vowed to stand with India against terror threats emanating from Pakistan-based groups like JeM, LeT and D-company.

—PTI