Good communication between political leaders missing now: Sharad Pawar tells HM Shah

Mumbai, Jan 14 NCP-SP president and former Union Minister Sharad Pawar on Tuesday took a swipe at Union Home Minister Amit Shah stating that there used to be good communication between political leaders earlier but that is missing now.

“The dignity of the Home Minister's post should be maintained,” said the senior Pawar.

His remarks came a few days after HM Shah stated at a convention of the party in Shirdi that, “Sharad Pawar had rebelled in 1978. The people of Maharashtra have taught him a lesson for the politics of betrayal that he had practiced at that time. The state Assembly election has buried the politics of betrayal and dynastic politics of Sharad Pawar and Uddhav Thackeray 20-foot into the ground.”

In his reply to HM Shah’s criticism against him, Sharad Pawar said, “Many legendary leaders, who held the home ministry portfolio, passed away, but none of them were externed from their state. These were leaders who made a major contribution to the country during their tenure as home minister.”

“Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Yashwantrao Chavan, Shankarrao Chavan among others were home ministers. Our neighbouring state is Gujarat and there were many able administrators who hail from there,” Pawar said.

“The Home Minister of the country gave a speech in Shirdi. It is his right to give a speech. Amit Shah referred about my politics in 1978.

"I was the chief minister in 1978. I am not aware about his (Amit Shah’s) whereabouts then. When I was the chief minister, there were people like Uttamrao Patil from Jan Sangh in my ministry and Hashu Advani," Pawar added.

“If you look at the Progressive Democratic Front government of 1978, it made a good contribution to Maharashtra. When I was the Chief Minister, Uttamrao Patil was the Deputy Chief Minister and Home Minister. Hashu Advani was the Urban Development Minister. They were capable leaders working with me in my Cabinet,” he recalled.

Pawar also mentioned the names of Vasantrao Bhagwat and Pramod Mahajan saying that they extended their cooperation despite having an RSS background.

Bemoaning the lack of communication between present political leaders, Pawar said, “There used to be good communication) between political leaders earlier but that is missing now.”

“The names of Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Lal Krishna Advani can be mentioned. When the Bhuj earthquake happened, a meeting of the Chief Ministers of the country was called. In it, there was a discussion on what to do in times of emergency due to earthquakes, heavy rains and other crises. At that time, Atal Bihari Vajpayee had suggested that they should take my guidance on what to do in times of emergency. Atal Bihari Vajpayee had given me the status of a minister when I was in the Opposition party and entrusted that task to me,” he said.

Talking on the INDIA bloc, Sharad Pawar clarified that the alliance was restricted to the Lok Sabha elections and added that there was no discussion about having an alliance in local and civic body elections.

“However, in the case of upcoming local and civic body elections in Maharashtra, there is a view that the Maha Vikas Aghadi should contest together. Therefore, I will convene a meeting with all allies in the next eight to ten days to discuss the issue and take it forward,” he added.

On the Delhi Assembly elections where AAP and Congress are pitted against each other, Pawar pointed out that AAP, which had formed the government earlier, has its base in Delhi but added that had AAP and Congress discussed an alliance that would have been better.

Source: IANS