Mumbai: Sharply criticising Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee for his statement on seeking retirement if the peace initiative with Pakistan failed, Shiv Sena mouth-piece "Saamna" on May 30 said such views reflected his "defeatist psyche".

"Vajpayee wants to resolve issues through peaceful and non-violent means which in fact could be settled only by using force and armed might," a hard-hitting editorial in the Sena organ said.

The views expressed in the party mouth-piece assumes significance as the Sena, a key ally of National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government, has in the past openly criticised Vajpayee for his "soft posture" vis-à-vis` Pakistan. "Saamna", of which Sena supremo Bal Thackeray is the editor, time and again spells out the party's strategy on crucial policy matters.

The editorial observations were in response to Vajpayee's statement in Berlin that he would "retire" if his third and last peace initiative with Pakistan failed.

"The language of retirement can suit a poet Vajpayee but not Prime Minister Vajpayee," the editorial observed. "Vajpayee can win accolades from US President George Bush and UK Premier Tony Blair and may bag Nobel peace prize for his talks about retiring if the peace initiative fails, but what would the country gain by it?" the editorial questioned.

PTI