The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar claimed that the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena founder Raj Thackeray was doing the BJP’s bidding instead of speaking on issues faced by common man. He said the MNS chief did not utter a single word about the BJP but targeted the Nationalist Congress Party, a key constituent in the tripartite Maha Vikas Aghadi government led by Shiv Sena.
"He tried to discharge the responsibility which the BJP may have given him," Pawar added. "It is obvious that we got to hear through his (Raj Thackeray's) speech that the BJP guided him," Pawar said.
"It's time to speak on inflation & unemployment but no one speaks on it", Pawar said. However, he added that Raj Thackeray did not talk on these issues.
Pawar claimed that Raj Thackeray is doing the BJP's bidding, a day after the MNS president made a strong case for the Uniform Civil Code and stressed the need for controlling population growth in the country.
He also dismissed Raj Thackeray's allegation that he (Pawar) is an atheist. "I go to temples but don't believe in showing off," the NCP chief told reporters. Pawar alleged that attempts are being made to disturb the social unity in Maharashtra and communal ideology is being promoted in the state.
Addressing a rally in Thane on Tuesday night, Raj Thackeray had said that if the Shiv Sena-led state government did not remove the high-decibel loudspeakers from mosques before May 3, MNS workers would play the Hanuman Chalisa in front of mosques. Pawar attacked Raj Thackeray for his threat to the state government over removal of loudspeakers from mosques. He said the state government should deal with it firmly. "The government will think over it seriously,’’ he added.
Pawar also termed "childish" Raj Thackeray's claim that the Enforcement Directorate (ED) had raided the family members of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, but not the latter's cousin Supriya Sule, who is the daughter of the Pawar senior. Ajit Pawar is the nephew of Sharad Pawar.
Hitting out at the MNS chief, Pawar said that people need not take the statements of a person seriously who makes a statement once in six months or a year. "An attempt is being made to disturb the social unity in Maharashtra and communal ideology is being encouraged. I appeal to people to not fall prey to such steps aimed at jeopardising peace," Pawar said.
