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PM in Pune: No speech for Ajit Pawar, NCP’s Supriya Sule calls it an insult to Maharashtra
NCP, Cong complain that BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis, Dehu temple trustee were permitted to address PM’s gathering
Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar did not get an opportunity to speak during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s programme at Dehu on Tuesday, where he inaugurated a ‘shila’ (rock) temple at the existing Sant Tukaram Maharaj Mandir and later addressed devotees at nearby venue. This, however resulted into a political controversy with the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and Congress leaders who later targeted the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Centre.
Only two persons besides Modi spoke at the brief 90-minute programme at Dehu, which was attended by at least 50,000 people. Leader of Opposition Devendra Fadnavis along with chief trustee of Dehu temple trust Nitin More spoke for three minutes each.
After Fadnavis’ speech, compere announced PM Modi’s name, which apparently surprised Prime Minister as he pointed at Pawar. Those who shared the dais with PM Modi were Ajit Pawar, Fadnavis, More, BJP state unit chief Chandrakant Patil and BJP spiritual cell head Tushar Bhosale.
NCP MP and Ajit Pawar’s cousin Supriya Sule alleged that the deputy chief minister was not allowed to speak in presence of PM Narendra Modi at the temple inauguration event in Dehu, Pune which according to her was “an insult to the state”. Fadnavis, as opposition leader spoke at the event, but Ajit Pawar, who attended the event as part of protocol, wasn’t allowed to speak, Sule alleged.
“Ajit Pawar’s office had requested (the PMO) that he be allowed to speak at the event as he is the deputy CM and also the guardian minister of Pune district. The PMO did not approve it,” she told reporters in Amravati.
“This is very serious, painful, shocking and not justified. This is an insult to Maharashtra,” the Lok Sabha member said. “Whether to allow Fadnavis to speak is their personal matter but Ajit Pawar, being the deputy CM, should have been allowed to speak at the Dehu event, Sule said.
According to More, the entire programme was planned and decided as per the protocol issued by the Prime Minister’s Office. “Under the programme schedule sent by PMO, there was no slot reserved for Ajit Pawar’s speech. Even I was told to cut down my inaugural welcome speech and I spoke only for three minutes. We feel everyone on the dais should have been given the chance to speak, though time constraint may have forced PMO to remove some names,” said More.
Earlier in June, when Modi had visited to Pune to launch Metro rail project, Ajit Pawar had publicly snubbed Maharashtra governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari. Pawar, without naming Koshiyari had said some people holding high posts were making unnecessary comments and this was not acceptable to the people of the state. Pawar’s comments were seen as reference to controversial remarks by Koshiyani, who had claimed Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj may not have got recognition had there not been Samarth (Ramdas).
