“Why was such an attack necessary to initiate action?”: Saamana Editorial Slams BJP over Rising Number of Illegal Pakistani Nationals in India

In a scathing editorial published on Monday, Saamana, the mouthpiece of Shiv Sena (UBT), alleged that the number of Pakistani nationals living illegally in India has increased under the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government.

The editorial stated that during the BJP’s tenure, the influx of Pakistani and Bangladeshi citizens into the country has grown significantly. It questioned why the government needed to wait for a terror attack like the recent incident in Pahalgam before acting against illegal immigrants.

"Pakistani citizens were expelled only after the Pahalgam attack. Why was such an attack necessary to initiate action?" the editorial questioned, accusing the Centre of focusing more on political conspiracies than on national security.

Highlighting Maharashtra's situation, Saamana pointed out that 5,023 Pakistani nationals were reportedly residing in 48 cities across the state. Of these, more than half — 2,458 individuals — were found living in Nagpur, the hometown of Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and the headquarters of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).

The editorial expressed concern over the lack of information about at least 30 Pakistani nationals in Nagpur alone. "When thousands of Pakistanis are living in Nagpur without proper monitoring, it indicates that the security of both Maharashtra and the nation has been left to fate," it stated.

The editorial further alleged that Pakistani citizens have spread across the state, continuing to live after their visas expired or without valid documentation. "Is this not a serious threat to national security?" it asked, demanding accountability from the ruling government.

The editorial comes in the wake of the recent terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which resulted in multiple casualties and has once again raised serious questions about the internal security apparatus. Opposition parties, including the Shiv Sena (UBT), have intensified their criticism of the BJP, accusing the government of complacency and politicization of security issues.​