Rajiv Gandhi death painful, a sacrifice: NCP’s Sharad Pawar

Pawar was responding to Modi who, at an election rally last week, said the late former Prime Minister ended his life as “corrupt no 1”.

Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar on Thursday called Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s language against Rajiv Gandhi “not suitable” for a person occupying the country’s top elected post.

Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar on Thursday called Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s language against Rajiv Gandhi “not suitable” for a person occupying the country’s top elected post.(Pratham Gokhale/HT Photo)

Pawar was responding to Modi who, at an election rally last week, said the late former Prime Minister ended his life as “corrupt no 1”.

Gandhi was assassinated by LTTE militants in 1991.

“Rajiv Gandhi’s death was painful. The Gandhi family has given two Prime Ministers to the country and both were assassinated. Despite such a big sacrifice, the language Modi used about the family does not suit his position,’’ Pawar told reporters in Maharashtra’s Satara on Thursday.

A host of opposition leaders condemended the remarks against the former prime minister. Even Srinivasa Prasad, a BJP candidate in Karnataka, expressed his displeasure at Modi’s statement.

Pawar further told reporters that all the Opposition leaders will meet to decide a further course of action after the ongoing national polls conclude on May 19.