PM remained mum on many issues but speech was crisp: Shiv Sena

Pune: Taking a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his address to the country, Shiv Sena mouthpiece ‘Saamana’ said on Thursday that he remained silent on major issues, but it was “one of the best speeches” made in the last few months.

There was nothing to dislike in Modi’s Tuesday’s address, and the prime minister had a “radiant glow” on his face which will rid the country of its problems, the editorial in the Marathi daily said in a sarcastic tone.

“What did prime minister Modi tell the countrymen through his address? What was new? Did he give any assurance to the flood-hit people in Maharashtra? Which monetary package was announced? All such criticism can be directed at the speech, however, the speech was short and effective,” it said.

The prime minister on Tuesday appealed people to follow COVID-19 guidelines even though lockdown has ended, and warned that negligence can dampen the festive spirit.

“Whatever he spoke about coronavirus, it was all true. He came, he spoke. His white beard, the radiant glow on his face….This glow will eradicate the darkness of calamities in the country,” the editorial said.

Modi talked about economic activities in the country being increased, but did not refer to the unemployment caused by the pandemic, it said.

“Before the speech, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had appealed to the PM to talk about the Chinese incursion (in Ladakh) and when India will drive out Chinese soldiers. But Modi did not touch on a single issue,” the Sena mouthpiece said.

“His speech was short and crisp. In fact, the seven-to-eight minute-long coronavirus awareness address was one of the best speeches in the last seven months,” it added.

Referring to the demand to reopen temples in Maharashtra, the editorial said governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari must have noted that the prime minister said the places where crowding can happen can not be reopened so soon.

Opposition BJP has been demanding that temples in Maharashtra be reopened, and Koshyari had written a caustic letter to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on the issue.