Daijiworld Media Network - Mumbai
Mumbai, Apr 26: Shiv Sena (UBT) on Saturday launched a massive signature campaign across Mumbai and Maharashtra, demanding that Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) be made an integral part of India. Posters and banners supporting the cause have been displayed near railway stations and key public areas throughout the state.
The campaign comes in response to the recent terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which killed 26 tourists from across the country, sparking widespread anger and condemnation.
“In protest against the terrorist attack on innocent Indian citizens in Pahalgam, Shiv Sena (UBT) has been organizing demonstrations across Maharashtra for the past two days, condemning Pakistan and those who support terrorism," said party leader and former minister Aaditya Thackeray in a post on X (formerly Twitter).
He added, “We stand firmly with the Government of India in this tragic moment. We support any decision the Central Government takes against terrorism. Now is the time to take revenge. The backbone of Pakistan-backed terrorists must be broken!”
In an editorial published Friday in the party's mouthpiece Saamana, Shiv Sena UBT urged the government to act swiftly in the national interest, warning against politicizing the Pahalgam tragedy.
“The Pahalgam attack is inhumane, but attempting to frame it as a Hindu-Muslim conflict is even more inhumane. Our fight is against Pakistan and terrorist groups. Anyone trying to malign Indian Muslims and Kashmiris in this context does not want to solve the country’s real issues but rather politicize the tragedy like Pulwama," the editorial said.
The Saamana editorial further emphasized the deep public outrage following the attack, noting that tourism had been flourishing in Kashmir after claims of peace, but the terror strike has shattered that image. "Every drop of blood and every tear shed in Kashmir must be avenged," it added.
On Thursday, Shiv Sena UBT had also criticized the central government's Kashmir policy, claiming that terrorism in the region has not ended under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership.
"The issue will not be resolved with empty threats to Pakistan. While such rhetoric may please PM Modi’s supporters, the ground reality remains grim. Terrorists are crossing into India and killing innocent civilians. Religious polarization has only worsened the situation," the editorial charged.
The Shiv Sena UBT continues to call for decisive action against Pakistan-backed terrorism, insisting that national unity must take precedence over political interests.