MUMBAI: The Shiv Sena today hit out at Jammu and Kashmir Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh over his "accident" remark on the killing of Hizbul commander Burhani Wani, saying it amounts to "backing" terrorist and "insulting" the army jawans killed on the borders.
The BJP ally said the comment will put Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar in a fix, who had recently said people speaking against the nation need to be "taught a lesson".
"Parrikar has only expressed the sentiments of people but who is it that is discouraging our armymen? If Pakistan mourns the killing of terrorist Burhan Wani it can be understood. But it was (J&K CM) Mehbooba Mufti who first shed tears on his killing and then it was Nirmal Singh, who allegedly termed it as an accident," the Sena said in an editorial in the party mouthpiece 'Saamana'.
On July 30, talking on the encounter of Wani by security forces, Nirmal Singh had said, "Police and security forces told us (the government) that they don't know who the terrorist is. It was an accident. Because when an operation takes place, precautions are taken but we didn't know it would be of such kind. Had we known about it, preparations would have been made."
"This is like backing the terrorist on one hand and insulting our martyred jawans on the other. This will make it challenging for Parrikar who talks of teaching a lesson to those who speak against the nation," it added.
It further said, "It is easy to teach a lesson to film stars who at times speak irrationally. But, what about those who wear a mask of nationalism and make the same statements?" it said.
If killing Wani was an accident then the PDP-BJP government in Jammu and Kashmir is also an accident, it added.
"What will you do if people make up their minds that this government in Jammu and Kashmir is an accident?" it asked.