Central agencies have become propaganda machinery of BJP: Shiv Sena

Shiv Sena leaders have attacked BJP and said that central agencies have become its propaganda machinery. The comment came after the Income Tax Department raided Shiv Sena office-bearer and Shirdi Trust member Rahul Kanal.

Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut questioned the raid and said why are people being targeted only in Maharashtra and West Bengal?

He alleged, “Only Shiv Sena and Trinamool Congress are being raided. The government is doing this to create pressure so that the state governments can be toppled.”

He further alleged that while the majority of raids are happening in Maharashtra and West Bengal, there are no actions happening on the BJP people.

He said, "Most of the raids are happening in Maharashtra. There have been raids on 14 prominent people in Maharashtra, seven more in West Bengal. There is no action against BJP people. Are they begging on the streets?.”

Aaditya Thackeray, son of Maharashtra’s Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray issued a statement in which he has severely criticised the raids and said that this has happened in the past as well

His statement reads, "Such attacks on Maharashtra have happened in the past and are happening now."

It added, "Central agencies have been misused in this manner in the past. It happened in Bengal, Andhra Pradesh and now if elections are to be held in Maharashtra, it is happening here too.”

His statement alleged that the central agencies “have in a way become the propaganda machinery of the BJP itself, but we will not bow down. Maharashtra will not bow down.”