Sharad Pawar on Pragya: Bomb blast accused will hear President speak

Sharad Pawar

NCP chief Sharad Pawar on Monday slammed the BJP for fielding Malegaon blast accused Pragya Singh Thakur for Lok Sabha poll, adding that such an action doesn't befit a political party or democracy. The former Union minister was speaking at an event to mark the 20th anniversary of his party. "The session of Parliament begins today.

Members of both the Houses attend the joint address of President. There will be a large number of those believing the saffron ideology too attending it. And there are people who have serious cases against them. "A person facing serious charges got elected from Madhya Pradesh and is in power. She (Pragya Singh Thakur) has several cases against her (including) the Malegaon blast case, murder of a BJP worker named Joshi and others. It does not behove a political party and the democracy to give (poll) ticket to such a person," Pawar said.

Across India, barring a few states, one can see the surge of communal ideology, Pawar said. "It is there in Parliament, the Central government. In Parliament, we see saffron-clad people in one corner. They are not seen taking part in the (House) business. Their style of working is different," the NCP leader said. In Parliament, there are a large number of people working to broaden the base of their divisive ideology, Pawar said. On the Malegaon blast case, Pawar said, "When the investigation began, young men from minority communities were held.

The blast occurred on a Friday in a masjid, when people had gathered to worship. I had then said that no Muslim would carry out a bomb explosion on a Friday in a mosque." In the probe, there were some good officers like Hemant Karkare, who was killed in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack, Pawar said. Karkare and his team had arrested some people, including someone (Pragya) who will attend the President's address (in Parliament) tomorrow, he said. "Such people are getting reputation now and there are many such there (in Parliament). There is a minister who asks people to go to Pakistan if a Muslim worker says anything. We had to tell (them that) this country is not property of your ancestors," Pawar said.

The NCP chief also targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the manner in which the latter conducted the Lok Sabha poll campaign. "Knowingly, unknowingly, the PM unfortunately tried to divide the country on religious lines. It was not in the country's interest. They (the BJP) may have got political benefit out of it," he said. "But it is not right to use power to spread religious ideology. Because it does not fit in the ideological framework Babasaheb Ambedkar gave through the Constitution. But the rulers today don't think on those lines. The prime minister sat inside a cave wearing a saffron attire, he said. "A PM finds it difficult to spare even half an hour for himself given the responsibility. But you (Modi) sat for 24 hours in the cave. What message did you give?" Pawar said.

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