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‘Not interested...’: Sharad Pawar on speculations over UPA chairmanship
NCP chief Sharad Pawar said that he is not going to take up any responsibility to lead any front against the BJP but added that he is ready to support any bloc if an attempt is made to provide an alternative to the BJP at the national level.
PUNE: Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) president Sharad Pawar on Sunday put to rest speculations over him eyeing the chairmanship of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA), days after the NCP youth wing passed a resolution proposing his name for the post.
The NCP chief said that he won’t lead an anti-BJP front and is not keen to become the chairman of the UPA but added that he is ready to “co-operate, support and strengthen” any bloc if an attempt is made to provide an alternative to the Bharatiya Janata Party. He also said that the Congress cannot be excluded from any initiative aimed at providing an alternative to the BJP at the Centre.
“I am not going to take up any responsibility to lead any front comprising various parties against the BJP,” the former union minister said at Kolhapur when asked about his stand on the issue. “I am not at all interested in that position. I am not going to get into that. I will not take up that responsibility,” he added.
When asked about the Congress’role in leading a front against the BJP, Pawar said the Congress has a pan-India presence even though the grand old party is not in power.
“You will find Congress workers in every village, district and state in the country. The reality is that the Congress, which has a wide presence, must be taken on board while providing an alternative (to the BJP),” the NCP chief said.
Taking a dig at the BJP-led Central government, Pawar said that allegations were raised that the Enforcement Directorate (ED) is used for extorting money. “Before and after raids (are conducted) there are talks about settlements (with ED officials). If this is true and the government is not reining the agency, then the Centre should answer if anyone asks whether they are involved in corruption,” Pawar added.
He also said that inflation is a major issue in the country. He said prices of fuel are raised every other day under the BJP rule, which is not only affecting the common people’s finances but also contributing to the price rise and the higher cost of transport.
“I am not saying that fuel prices were not hiked in the past but now they are being increased every day. This is a major issue but the government is looking the other way,” Pawar alleged.
Speaking about ‘The Kashmir Files’, Pawar said the movie is made in such a way that the people of other religions will become angry.
He reiterated that VP Singh’s government, and not the Congress, was in power at the Centre during the exodus of Kashmiri Pandits from the Valley.
“Mufti Mohammad Sayeed had become the home minister of India at that time with the support of the BJP. A section inclined towards Pakistan then started attacking Muslims who wanted to stay with India and also Hindus. It was the responsibility of the then ruling party to protect these people. But instead of protecting them, they asked Hindus to leave the Valley,” Pawar claimed.
He said the film was not based on facts but it will promote racism and hatred. “If such a film is promoted by the head of the nation and his party distributed free tickets, this only means that they want to divide people and derive political mileage,” Pawar said without taking the names of PM Narendra Modi and the BJP.
He said the situation in Gujrat (during the post-Godhra communal riots in 2002) was worse than the situation in the Valley.
“Many people lost their lives but I never heard the then head of Gujarat coming forward to explain,” Pawar said in a veiled swipe at Modi who was the chief minister of Gujarat at the time of the riots.
Talking about Swabhimani Shetkari Paksha (SSP), Pawar said no party should walk out of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA).
“If they (SSP) have any misunderstanding, then it’s our responsibility to clear their doubts,” he added.
(With agency input)
