Shiv Sena slams Congress for targeting Modi on his marital status

Mumbai, Apr 14: Hitting out at the

for raking up the issue of

's

, the

on Monday accused it of "poking nose" into the private life of the BJP PM nominee and said the grand old party's bid to make it an issue of national campaign re-affirmed its bankruptcy.

"Modi's marriage was just a formality. Swami Samarth Ramdas ran way from the midst of his wedding rituals to dedicate his life for society. While Modi and his wife mutually separated and Modi went on to be the RSS pracharak. Why should the Congress speak for Jasodhaben, when she has no complaints," an editorial in party mouth piece 'Saamna' said.

The edit ridiculed Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi, a bachelor, for targeting Modi over his personal matters and also dragged Union Minister Shashi Tharoor into it, saying that if the Congress was so concerned about Jasodhaben it should also take up the cause of Sunanda Pushkar, who was found dead in mysterious circumstances.

"Foolish people turn blind eye to their own mistakes and feel sense of pride to find fault in others," it said. "What has Modi's marriage got to do with common man and issues of price rise, corruption," the editorial asked.

"Will anti-India activities in our neighbourhood stop, will Dawood Ibrahim be brought back to the country. Will farmers' suicides in Maharashtra end ?," it said and went on to add that Gujarat's development did not stop because Modi had not mentioned his wife's name in the election affidavit.

"Those who feel by raking up this issue, they can put Modi in legal trouble are living in fool's paradise," the edit said, referring to Congress complaint to EC. Last week, in an election rally at Doda, Rahul led the Congress charge against Modi for suppressing his marital status and had also alleged that the Gujarat Police, at the behest of the BJP leader, had "stalked" a young woman violating her privacy using official machinery.

"What kind of women's empowerment and dignity is this ?" Rahul had asked.

PTI