Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) president Sharad Pawar on Sunday said he will not lead an anti-BJP front and is not even aspiring to be the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) president. Pawar also said that the Congress cannot be thrown out of any initiative aimed at providing an alternative to the BJP at the Centre.
“I am not going to take the responsibility of leading any front of different parties against the BJP,” Pawar told reporters in western Maharashtra’s Kolhapur.
Pawar also said that he will not lead the present Congress-run UPA. “Recently, some young workers of our party (NCP) passed a resolution asking me to become the president of the UPA. But I am not interested in that post at all. I’m not going to fall into it. I will not take that responsibility.
If there is an attempt to provide an alternative (to the BJP), I am ready to cooperate, support and strengthen such a group.
“There is no need to ignore certain facts when it is said that the opposition should come together. Mamata Banerjee’s TMC is the strongest party in West Bengal and she enjoys the support of the people. Also regional parties are strong in their respective states.
He said that the Congress has a pan-India presence even though the Grand Old Party is not in power at present. You will find Congress workers in every village, district and state of the country. The NCP chief said the reality is that the Congress, which has a wide presence, should be taken along, providing an alternative (for the BJP).
On BJP leader Nitin Gadkari’s statement that the Congress needs to be strong, Pawar emphasized the need for a strong opposition party for a healthy democracy. “If only one party is strong, it will become like (Russian President Vladimir) Putin,” he said. He and the Chinese president have vowed to lead their countries until they live. I hope there should not be such Putin in India.
Hitting out at the BJP-led central government, Pawar said allegations were made that the Enforcement Directorate (ED) is being used for extortion. “Talks are on about reconciliation (with ED officials) before and after the raids. If this is true and the government is not reining in the agency, the Center should answer if anyone asks whether they are involved in corruption, Pawar said. He said that inflation is a big issue in the country. He said that fuel prices are being increased every other day under the BJP regime, which is not only affecting the finances of the common people, but also contributing to price rise and higher cost of transportation.
“I am not saying that earlier fuel prices were not hiked, but now they are being increased every day. It is a big issue but the government is looking the other way,” Pawar alleged. Speaking about “Files”, Pawar said that the film has been made in such a way that people of other religions will get annoyed. He reiterated that during the exodus of Kashmiri Pandits from the Valley, it was VP Singh’s government at the Center and not the Congress. Of.
“Mufti Mohammad Sayeed became the Home Minister of India at that time with the support of the BJP. A section leaning towards Pakistan started attacking the Muslims who wanted to stay with India and also the Hindus. Protecting these people was the responsibility of the then ruling party. But instead of protecting them, he asked the Hindus to leave the Valley,” claimed Pawar.
He said that the film is not based on facts but it will promote racism and hatred. Without naming PM Narendra Modi and BJP, Pawar said, “If such a film is promoted by the head of the nation and his party has started distributing free tickets, it only means that they are giving people Want to divide and take political advantage.” He said the situation in Gujarat was worse than in the Valley (during the post-Godhra communal riots in 2002).
In an indirect attack on Modi, Pawar said, “Many people lost their lives, but I have never heard the then chief of Gujarat coming forward to explain.” Talking about the Swabhimani Shetkari Paksha (SSP), Pawar said that no party should walk out of the Maha Vikas Aghadi. “If he (SSP) has any misunderstanding, it is our responsibility to clear his doubts,” he said.
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