BJP is supporting Najma only because she is Muslim:Saamna

Mumbai, July 24 (UNI) The Shiv Sena today asked its alliance partner, the BJP, whether they had announced the candidature of Najma Heptullah for Vice-Presidentship only because she was a Muslim, and justified its earlier decision to support Ms Pratibha Patil for Presidentship because she was a Maharashtrian.

In an editorial in the party's mouthpiece Saamna, the Sena pointed out that the BJP has made their announcement after the other two groups have also announced the names of Muslim candidates for the post.

It may be recollected here that the UPA has announced the name of Hamid Ansari while the UNPA of Rashid Masood.

The Sena admitted that it preferred to support Pratibha Patil since she was Marathi, but stressed that she was also a Hindu to the core. At that time several BJP leaders, even those from Maharashtra, had criticised the same saying that this was against the line of 'Hindutva', the party observed and demanded to know as to how can their alliance partner propose the name of a Muslim. Are they toeing the 'Hindutva' line now? the Shiv Sena demanded to know.

'' We are not interested in making any personal comment on Ms Heptulla whose capability and experience stands ahead of the other two candidates. But she was selected only because she is a Muslim'', the editorial lamented.

Citing several examples in the past, it said that veteran educationist K R Narayanan was made the President, because he was a 'Dalit' and the same yardstick was applied for Sushilkumar Shinde when he was given the candidature for Vice-President before his name got derailed While strongly justifying it's decision to support Ms Patil, the party rued that such caste and religion-based politics is continuing in this country. The Vice- Presidential election has shown the real face of everybody, the editorial concluded.

UNI