Mumbai: NCP's Supriya Sule hits back at Assam CM over his comments on Sharad Pawar

File Photo/PTI

Nationalist Congress Party leader and member of parliament Supriya Sule Thursday said the Bharatiya Janata Party needs to hear the speech of her father and NCP stalwart Sharad Pawar carefully.

She was responding to Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma's statement over Pawar's remark that Indian Prime Ministers have historically been known "to help Palestine".

Addressing NCP workers in Mumbai on October 15, Pawar said, "Historically, (former Prime Ministers) Jawaharlal Nehru, Rajiv Gandhi, Indira Gandhi, and Atal Bihari Vajpayee had all articulated positions that favoured helping Palestine amid the conflict with Israel. For the first time, the Prime Minister of our country (Narendra Modi) came out openly in support of Israel. The stand of the NCP is clear. We stand by the people, who are original inhabitants of that land," Pawar said in Mumbai.

Reacting to his statement, the Assam CM said, "I think Sharad Pawar should send Supriya (Sule) to Gaza to fight for Hamas."

Also read: Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut equates BJP with Hamas, courts controversy

Hitting back, Sule said on Thursday, "I am surprised at Himanta Biswa Sarma's remarks as he has the same DNA as me. He was previously with the Congress like myself. He and I share the same Congress DNA. We all know how the BJP is disrespectful towards women. I had expected better from Himanta Biswa Sarma. I am surprised at this change in him. Perhaps, it is a case of the BJP's core beliefs and practices rubbing off on him since he left the Congress. The BJP's IT cell needs to understand and hear carefully what Sharad Pawar said. I would request them to hear his entire statement," Sule said.

Meanwhile, reacting to the Assam CM's remark on Sharad Pawar's comment, Shiv Sena leader and member of parliament Sanjay Raut said the party that the former belongs to is no less than 'Hamas'.

"The party he (Assam CM) belongs to is no less than Hamas, it is misusing central agencies and destroying the Opposition. He should first read and understand history. He is a part of the BJP now and should be aware of the position articulated by former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee on the Israel-Palestine conflict," Raut said. (With inputs from ANI)