Shiv Sena attacks BJP over I-T's action against Sonu Sood in 'Saamna'

Mumbai, Sep 17: The Shiv Sena has criticised the BJP over the Income Tax Department's action against actor Sonu Sood. The party on its mouthpiece 'Saamna' has questioned how the national party could consider the actor a "tax-evader" after hailing his humanitarian works earlier.

The party has alleged that there was foul play in I-T's action against Sonu Sood and this could backfire the BJP which claims to have the highest number of workers in the world. The Saamna editorial also took a dig at the national party stating that it should also have a "large heart."

"Filing false cases against the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) ministers, pressuring the state governor to withhold 12 members for their nomination to the state Legislative Council and raiding actor like Sonu Sood were signs of a small and narrow mind. This is foul play and it is sure to boomerang one day" the PTI quotes the Sena as saying.

Ever since the country was hit by the Covid-19, Sonu Sood has been carrying out humanitarian works to help the people in need. From providing shelter to migrants to arranging buses, the actor has taken plenty of initiates to help people in trouble.

"The BJP then praised him and asked why the MVA government can't do what Sood has been doing. The BJP projected him as their own. But when Sood became the brand ambassador of the Arvind Kejriwal-led Delhi government's educational programme, the I-T raided him," the party alleged.

The editorial claims that the BJP leaders were hobnobbing with him at his programmes earlier and Maharashtra Governor BS Koshyari had invited Sood to Raj Bhavan to hail his works.

However, the party's views on the actor changed once he associated with AAP and Congress governments. "It has become a norm to trouble people not linked to the BJP through investigating agencies," the party attacked the BJP.