How once anti-Gandhi 'Saamana' has become a Congress mouthpiece now

The Shiv Sena mouthpiece's founder Bal Thackeray used to dub Congress as a 'cancer' and most of leaders as 'eunuchs' in his statements and editorials.

Mumbai, Feb 14: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has been served notice for making unparliamentary remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Lok Sabha on February 7. But what is surprising is that Shiv Sena's mouthpiece 'Saamana' has published an editorial supporting Gandhi in this regard.

BJP MP Nishikant Dubey and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Prahalad Joshi alleged that the former Congress president had spread falsehood against the Prime Minister after which the Lok Sabha Secretariat sent a notice to Rahul asking him to reply to the same by February 15.

Slamming the BJP, the 'Saamana' editorial claimed that "the faces of BJP members turned pale in Parliament after Rahul's speech", ANI reported. The Prime Minister failed to respond to the questions raised by Gandhi on his links with industrialist Adani, it commented, adding that "the name of 'Rahul' is enough to fill the BJP with fear.

It further claimed that Adani's businesses peaked only after the BJP came to power in 2014. Extending support to Rahul, the editorial stated, "Instead of sending notices to him, the Prime Minister should have replied to his questions. This is nothing but dictatorship and cowardice."

"At present, the relationship between PM Modi and Adani is being discussed all over the world. The shares of Adani's companies fell, and public money is at risk. How can Rahul Gandhi be a criminal for raising pertinent questions?" read the editorial.

How Saamna has turned from anti-Gandhis to pro-Gandhis

Shiv Sena (Uddhav faction) leader and former Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray is the editor of 'Saamna' while Sanjay Raut is its associate editor. Since its inception, the Marathi publication had always been critical of the Congress party and notably the Gandhis (except Indira Gandhi in some cases).

Bal Thackeray, who founded 'Saamana', had often criticised Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi. He once targeted Sonia Gandhi over her Italian origin. "You see what is going on in the country. There is controversy over the Army chief's age and the matter is in court. Whose reputation is in jeopardy? There is no question of Sonia's reputation as she is a foreigner," PTI had quoted him saying in Saamna. On Rahul, he had commented, "He was born yesterday and wants to be prime minister today. Is the PM's post up for auction?"

He had once dubbed most of the Congress leaders as eunuchs. "Congress madhe itke hijade hijade ahet, chavauycha tari konala? Sagle jhuktaet tya Sonia Gandhi chya samor. Hi hijadyanchi aulad jo paryant ya deshavarti rajya kartie, Congress paksha mhanun, to paryant ya deshala changle divas yeu shaknaar nahi. (Congress party has so many members who are eunuchs. All are busy bowing in front of that Italian lady (Sonia). The country will never see good days until this army of eunuchs which calls itself as Congress party is ruling over India)," OpIndia quoted him as saying at the annual Dusshera rally at Mumbai's Shivaji Park back in 2010.

In his speech, he had criticised India's first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru for wrecking the country by giving preferences to Islamists. He had also slammed Congress over its stand on Afzal Guru. "Saat varsh zale Afzal la fasshi nahi. Ka? Dor milat nahi? Kaay! Hijadyancha rajya ahe Hijadyancha (It's been seven years and Afzal has not been hanged. Why? They can't find a rope? No doubt eunuchs are ruling the country)", he said.

The senior Thackeray had once compared Congress to cancer and said, "Overthrow the Congress governments in the State and at the Centre, which are a 'cancer'." He had also once questioned Rahul Gandhi's ability to become a prime minister. "Who is this Rahul Gandhi? What is there in him? Tomorrow, any school kid will rise and ask to be made the Prime Minister," Thackeray said.

It has to be noted that Bal Thackeray had lashed out at the then Congress-NCP government for naming Bandra Worli Sea Link after former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi. He fought tooth and nail all his life against Congress and Gandhis.

However, things started changing in recent years as 'Saamna' started being critical of the BJP, especially after joining hands with Congress and NCP to form the MVA government in 2019. Once a revered Marathi publication, 'Saamna' has now become a mouthpiece of the same Congress party after the demise of Bal Thackeray.