Launching a blistering attack on NCP chief Sharad Pawar and former Maharashtra deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar in their family’s bastion, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said politicians who poke fun at people seeking water have no moral right to ask for votes. He also slammed those targeting the government on firing incident with Pakistan through a public discourse, saying it demoralised the jawans fighting on the border.
“Such an issue should not be part of a political debate... Elections will come and go, governments will come and go, but please don’t demoralise those fighting on the border by debating these things for political gains,” Modi said.
Reminding people of an earlier incident, Modi said, “Don’t you remember what he (Ajit Pawar) told you when you asked for water? It was only water you had asked for. It is unthinkable that such people become ministers, my head hangs in shame. “They have no right to ask for votes. It is a matter of your prestige now. Throw them out.”
Ajit Pawar, while ridiculing a farmer fasting for water had said at Indapur,”He has been fasting for the last 55 days. If there is no water in the dam, how can we release it? Should we urinate into it? If there is no water to drink, even urination is not possible.”
Pawar’s remarks had triggered an outrage, forcing him to tender an apology. Equating Pawar family’s grip over Baramati to slavery, Modi said, “The nation became independent but Baramati is still yoked to slavery. Be it for job or water for farms, people have to seek permission from the uncle-nephew duo. Farmers cannot even sell their sugarcane crop without their nod.”
{{/usCountry}}Pawar’s remarks had triggered an outrage, forcing him to tender an apology. Equating Pawar family’s grip over Baramati to slavery, Modi said, “The nation became independent but Baramati is still yoked to slavery. Be it for job or water for farms, people have to seek permission from the uncle-nephew duo. Farmers cannot even sell their sugarcane crop without their nod.”
{{/usCountry}}Targeting Pawar, who had criticised him for holding poll rallies in Maharashtra when there was tension on the border, Modi said, “When you were the defence minister, there were problems with Pakistan and China on the border. Did you ever bother to go to the border then?”