Shiv Sena separations itself from call for burqa ban, says it is Sanjay Raut's own view

May 1, Facing flak for a demand in its editorial mouthpiece for a ban on the burqa in open spots, Shiv Sena on Wednesday distanced itself from what has turned into a controversy and said that it was a personal opinion of party leader Sanjay Raut.

The editorial in Saamna called for a ban on wearing burqa in public places in the interest of national security. It said that India also should submit a general direction to Sri Lanka where face covering have been banned for a week following serial blasts on Easter, and said that it is as necessary as the surgical strikes were.

The Bharatiya Janata Party on Wednesday was quick to rebuff the demand and party spokesperson GVL Narasimha Rao said that PM Narendra Modi has ensured that India is safe and therefore, no such bans are necessary.

Shiv Sena, later on Wednesday, issued a statement in which it illuminated that the interest for the prohibition on burqa was the genuine belief of Raut and not the gathering's perspective. Raut had shielded the interest in the Saamna publication while likewise including that it was not intended to target individuals from a specific network.

The political backlash, in any case, was swift with AIMIM chief Asauddin Owaisi demanding that Election Commission ought to take action against Shiv Sena. He said it was a violation of the poll code and that Sena was trying to polarise voters.