Unrest in states ruled by BJP, says NCP Chief Sharad Pawar

Sharad Pawar. File pic

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar on Thursday said that the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) is left with governments in a very small number of states. He alleged that only Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Assam and Manipur and violence are underway where the Chief Minister is of the BJP, reported news agency ANI.

"On the map of India, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Rajasthan, Punjab, Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Jharkhand and West Bengal, there is no BJP Government. And in some states like Goa where the congress was in power, some MLAs joined BJP and their government was formed. The same happened in Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra," Sharad Pawar was quoted as saying by ANI.

"Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Assam and Manipur have BJP Governments. Violence is underway in Manipur. Violence is underway where BJP has CM," Sharad Pawar alleged.

Ethnic clashes broke out in Manipur nearly two months ago on May 3 after clashes erupted during a rally organised by the All Tribal Students Union (ATSU) to protest against the demand for the inclusion of Meiteis in the list of Scheduled Tribes (STs).

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's convoy was on its way to Manipur's Churachandpur was stopped by local police at a check post near Bishnupur, which is about 20 kilometres from the State capital Imphal. Gandhi who had landed in Imphal earlier today for a two-day visit was on his way to Churachandpur where he planned to meet people displaced by the recent clashes at the relief camps.

The NCP Chief also took a jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his remarks on the Uniform Civil Code. "The BJP has failed to hold onto the states. Many states are not with them, what is going to happen in the next elections while the PM is making such statements," Sharad Pawar said referring to the violence in Manipur and PM Modi's recent statement on UCC.

Nationalist Congress Party Chief Sharad Pawar also said that the stand of the Sikh, Jain and Christian communities should also be cleared. He said that the Sikh Community has a different stand on it perhaps. "I am taking more information but I have heard that Sikh Community are not in favour of supporting UCC. The stand of this community can not be ignored," Pawar added.

On Tuesday, PM Modi, while batting for the UCC in Bhopal said that the country cannot run on two laws and that Uniform Civil Code was part of the Constitution. "Today people are being instigated in the name of UCC. How can the country run on two (laws)? The Constitution also talks of equal rights...Supreme Court has also asked to implement UCC. These (Opposition) people are playing vote bank politics," he said. PM's statement triggered a nationwide debate as several opposition leaders have accused PM Modi of raising the UCC issue for political gains ahead of the upcoming elections.

(With inputs from ANI)