Sena backs Gaikwad, says blaming politicians is now a fashion

Shiv Sena on Tuesday said the media's extensive coverage of the Gaikwad-Air India row made even infiltrations from Pakistan look "lesser evil" and noted that it has now become a fashion to hold politicians responsible for everything.

The Sena also asked why the government was only talking about discipline while flying and not on the ground as well, and why the Centre does not threaten to dissolve a state Assembly when there is even one incident of farmer suicide.

"It was surprising that the media gave so much importance to the Gaikwad episode which made even infiltrations from Pakistan look lesser evil," an editorial in Sena mouthpiece 'Saamana' on Tuesday quipped.

"If so much media coverage was given to farmers' suicides, the hearts of those in power would have melted over their plight," the Sena said.

"It has become a fashion now to hold politicians responsible for everything," it said.

Air India had on April 7 lifted its ban on Gaikwad after he expressed regret for assaulting one of its employees.

The Osmanabad MP had assaulted the AI employee on March 23 after he landed here on a Pune-Delhi all-economy flight.

Gaikwad later boastfully claimed on TV that he had hit the official 25 times with slippers.