Ever since the 2014 Maharashtra polls, Shiv Sena has often been critical of their ally BJP.
The Shiv Sena today launched a scathing attack on its ally BJP over the issue of notes ban and described it as the "worst regime in 10,000 years". In an editorial, the Sena claimed that instead of eradicating black money, the notes ban measure has only caused distress to the middle class, poor and unemployed.
Reacting to reports of protest by a woman in front of the RBI office in Delhi after failing to get a few banned notes exchanged, the Shiv Sena said, "If the government cannot see and understand the suffering of this woman, then such a ruthless and deaf regime would not have been in existence in the last 10,000 years."
The party further claimed that her plight looked like a "government-sponsored Nirbhaya tragedy".
"When a woman in distress sits on a street in Delhi and condemns the government, it is like government-sponsored Nirbhaya tragedy," the Shiv Sena said through an editorial in their newspaper, 'Saamana'.
"If you term the act of this woman as nationalism, you need to a Talibani doctor to treat your brains. Such atrocities against women happen only in Talibani regimes," the editorial added, according to news agency PTI.
The Shiv Sena also attacked Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and said, "We want to ask the Chief Minister, whose side are you on; demonetisation or this helpless woman."
The Shiv Sena, which is a part of the NDA government at the Centre, said that the woman has brought out the sufferings and anger of women on the streets.
Relations between the BJP and Shiv Sena soured ever since the parties clashed over seat sharing in the 2014 Maharashtra assembly polls. The Shiv Sena had also marched with Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee and other opposition parties on November 16 against the notes ban. It is, also, often critical of Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and his policies.
(with inputs from PTI)