SHIV Sena Says Burqa Ban Is Not Its Agenda

SHIV Sena, the oldest ally of the BJP, has clarified that neither the saffron political party nor its supremo Uddhav Thackeray has ever called for banning Burqa worn by a section of Muslim women. The Saamana , the official mouthpiece of  the pro –Hindu political grouping  ,in its editorial on Wednesday asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to follow in the Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena’s footsteps to  ban burqa  and other face-veils in India considering the “threat” they pose to the nation’s security.Sanjay Raut, Saamana executive editor and Shiv Sena’s  Spokesperson, has clarified that the demand for burqa ban made in an editorial in party mouthpiece was not that of the Sena or its chief Uddhav Thackeray. In his weekly column published in Saamana’s Sunday edition, Raut   said, “The burqa ban was not the demand of Shiv Sena or Uddhav Thackeray. Saamana just published an analysis of the developments in Sri Lanka post serial bomb blasts in the island nation, he added.”It could be an individual’s view…it is not the official stand of Shiv Sena,” she said in a statement. Hundreds of Muslim women on Friday protested against the Sena mouthpiece at Mumbra in Mumbai .Most of the women, who were wearing burqa or veils, shouted slogans against Raut, who is a Rajya Sabha member, and carried placards with the message ‘Samvidhan Bachao, Desh Bachao’ (save the Constitution, save the country).Meanwhile, a Mumbai-based advocate on Saturday approached police and demanded action against Thackeray, Raut and others for allegedly hurting religious sentiments.Santacruz police station’s senior inspector Shriram Koregoankar said they have received an application from advocate Munsif Khan but no case was registered.BJP has also made public  that  banning burqa is not on its agenda.