PM should've spoken on unemployment, economy in I-Day speech: Sena

Mumbai: The Shiv Sena on Monday criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for not addressing the economic situation in the country and the measures to revive it in his Independence Day speech.

An editorial in the Shiv Sena mouthpiece Saamana said that more than 14 crore people have lost their jobs and remarked that the prime minister should have spoken about issues the people face in his 90-minute speech on August 15.

“Till now, around 14 crore people in the country have lost their jobs. In future, this number is going to increase. People have to get out of their homes, but what will they do once they are getting out? Jobs, businesses and employment have been destroyed. It would have been better if the prime minister would have spoken about these,” the editorial said.

The editorial said the prime minister also spoke about the Covid-19 vaccine trials in India, the country’s defence capabilities, and the National Digital Health Mission, among other things. It said, “Merely beating the drums of ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ programme is unlikely to help tide over the economic crisis caused by the pandemic.”

In a jibe at defence minister Rajnath Singh, the editorial said he had stated during the flag hoisting on Independence Day that “India has the ability to speed up the global economy”. It added, “Leave alone the world Sir, speed up the country’s economy. Independence Day comes and goes, the Red Fort is the same, the problems and woes are still the same.”

The editorial added that the army and air force are there to safeguard the country’s borders and keep enemies away, but “how will we fight the devil of hunger and joblessness which is running amok in the country?”