Mumbai: On Monday, The Shiv Sena urged the NDA government to take over the temporarily grounded private carrier Jet Airways and save its staff from losing their jobs. It asked PM Narendra Modi to take a cue from the foresight shown by former PMs Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi in nationalizing insurance and airline companies. Speaking about the impact of the temporary shutdown, in an editorial in party mouthpiece ‘Saamana’, Shiv Sena said the curse of those rendered jobless would be more powerful than that of a ‘sadhvi’.

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It was apparently referring to remarks made by BJP leader and Malegaon accused Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur, who recently claimed that senior police officer Hemant Karkare died during the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks as she “cursed” him for torturing her. The cash-starved Jet Airways ceased all its operations temporarily last week. The airline had sought a Rs 400 crore emergency fund from its lenders to whom it already owes over Rs 8,500 crore, but was refused as it was not ready to offer more collaterals.

“Such incidents underscore the foresight of Pandit Nehru and Indira Gandhi and their insistence on nationalization of insurance and airline companies in the country. PM Modi needs to show similar foresight in the matter of Jet Airways,” the Sena said. “Our demand to the government is that it take over Jet Airways and save its staff from getting unemployed,” said the Uddhav Thackeray-led party, which is an ally of the BJP at the Centre and in Maharashtra. The Sena said it has presented issues of the airline’s staff before the government.

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