The city police on Thursday pre-empted a move by the Opposition Congress to stage a “pakoda” agitation by setting up a make-shift stall near Mantralaya (the State secretariat) in south Mumbai to fry and sell the snack, even ruling BJP’s ally Shiv Sena hit out Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his “pakoda” remark.
Already in the know of the Mumbai Congress workers’ plan to stage a “pakoda” agitation near Mantralaya, the police detained Nirupam while on his way to the State secretariat to stage a symbolic protest against Prime Narendra Modi’a remark made in a television interview that selling pakodas is also a form of employment and can be seen in the light of ‘job creation’.
Through Nirupam’s detention at Girgaum Chowpatty – 3km from the agitation venue, the police foiled the Congress’ plans to stage a “pakoda” agitation in protest against Modi’s controversial remark and the subsequent defence the Prime Minister’s statement by BJP national president in Rajya Sabha.
After his detention by the police, Nirupam hit out at the ruling BJP, accusing it of “denying my fundamental rights” by preventing him from heading towards Mantralaya to lead the “pakoda” agitation.
Talking to media persons, Nirupam said: “This is absolutely unconstitutional and has never happened before—The BJP Government is denying my fundamental rights”.
Nirupam charged that the Modi Government had miserably failed to provide employment to 12 unemployed youths across the country. “We have lakhs and lakhs of graduates and post-graduates who are sitting at their homes without jobs,” he said.
Meanwhile, slamming Modi and Shah for their “pakoda” remarks, the ruling Shiv Sena charged that through “these kind of remarks”, the Centre was trying to divert people’s attention from key issues, including Kashmir where jawans are dying in firing by Pakistan.
“Despite having been in power for the past four years, the Modi Government has miserably failed to resolve the Kashmir issue. The Congress did not have the courage to teach Pakistan a lesson”.
However, the Sena, in an editorial published in the Sena’s official mouth-piece “ Saamana”, heaped praise on late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, by saying: “Indiras Gandhi defeated Pakistan and divided that country. She showed courage at a time when America had sided with Pakistan”.
Disapproving the “claims” being made that countries like the US, France, Germany and Israel were “dancing to the tune of” Modi and that Pakistan has been isolated in the world, the Saamana editorial stated: “The Modi Government was happy when America spoke against the financial aid being given to that country. However, Pakistan and its terrorists are creating trouble for India every day”.
“Imaginary pakodas are being fried to divert the attention of people from serious issues,” the Sena editorial said.
“The ruling BJP castigates the previous Congress Governments over the Kashmir issue, but what strong action has it taken against Pakistan —the leT terrorists opened fire in a hospital and managed to free a dreaded terrorist from the clutches of the security forces after killing two Army jawans.
The Jammu and Kashmir government has failed, while terrorists are dancing on the bodies of our martyrs,” the editorial stated.
“During the last one month, Pakistan has indulged in ceasefire violations about a 100 times in which 15 jawans were martyred. At such a critical time, they are discussing about pakodas,” the editorial added.