Fadnavis on Thursday launched a no-holds-barred attack on Pawar over the latter's statements on various issues including Hindi film 'The Kashmir Files', the 1993 Mumbai serial bomb blasts and Ishrat Jahan (a terror suspect killed in a police encounter in Gujarat in 2004)
Devendra Fadnavis (L) and Sharad Pawar. File Photo
The NCP on Friday termed BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis's latest accusations against its president Sharad Pawar on multiple issues as "baseless and whimsical" and ascribed the allegations to "frustration" stemming from the MVA constituent's growth in Maharashtra as the "most preferred party".
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Fadnavis on Thursday launched a no-holds-barred attack on Pawar over the latter's statements on various issues including Hindi film 'The Kashmir Files', the 1993 Mumbai serial bomb blasts and Ishrat Jahan (a terror suspect killed in a police encounter in Gujarat in 2004), and accused the NCP of indulging in appeasement politics and polarising the society on communal basis.
In a series of 14 tweets which coincided with the 131st birth anniversary of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar, the former chief minister accused Pawar of going against the wishes and values of the chief architect of the Constitution.
The BJP leader claimed the former Union agriculture minister was the first person to use the term "Hindu terror".
"Fadnavis ji has made baseless and whimsical accusations against Pawar saheb. The BJP has realised it is now impossible to stop the growth of the NCP as the most preferred party in Maharashtra.
"Hence, by calling the NCP communal and targeting Pawar saheb out of frustration, Fadnavis is trying to paint a communal picture," NCP's state unit chief spokesperson Mahesh Tapase said in a statement.
Taking a dig at the Leader of Opposition in the assembly, Tapase said MNS chief Raj Thackeray had "parroted" the same lines as Fadnavis recently while targeting Pawar.
"They can't beat us in numbers and in developmental work. So, branding the NCP as communal seems to be the latest strategy of the BJP," Tapase said.
Tapase said Pawar has worked "tirelessly" to bring the most disadvantaged groups in mainstream and caste, creed and religions were "insignificant" to the NCP chief.
"Dr BR Ambedkar, as the chairman of the drafting committee of the Constitution, had said two things needed to be safeguarded, a) the principle of equality of opportunity and b) the demand of the communities which has had no representation so far. Does Fadnavis know this?" Tapase asked.
He accused Fadnavis of misquoting Pawar's views on abrogation of Article 370 (which accorded special status to J&K) after the Centre's move in August 2019.
"In the run up to the 2019 Maharashtra Assembly polls, the BJP was trying to build a narrative over Article 370. To this, Pawar had said that the BJP is skirting real issues of farmer suicides and rising unemployment in Maharashtra," Tapase said.
He further said the former CM has "conveniently forgotten" that Pawar was the first leader in the country to implement recommendations of the Mandal Commission, which was set up by the Morarji Desai government at the Centre.
"Does Fadnavis have an objection to implementation of the Commission's recommendations and reservation to OBCs as well?" Tapase asked.
Countering Fadnavis, Tapase said in the aftermath of the 1993 bomb blasts, Pawar "did mention occurrence of a 13th bomb blast (which actually never happened) only with a humanitarian angle" to prevent a large scale communal riots in Mumbai and other parts of Maharashtra.
"This act of Pawar was highly appreciated by the Srikrishna Commission (which probed 1992-93 Mumbai riots and March 1993 serial blasts) as hundreds of innocent lives were saved. Is Fadnavis hinting that by averting a communal clash and saving the lives of hundreds of innocent citizens Pawar saheb did something wrong?" the NCP spokesperson questioned.
"Or, the BJP wanted a communal riot to happen at that time?" he asked.
The NCP spokesperson said all peace-loving citizens of Kashmir Valley, including Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs and Buddhists, were subjected to atrocities during insurgency days in the erstwhile state of J&K.
"A film depicting one-sided narrative raises suspicion about the behind the scene political intent of the film. Fadnavis should elaborate on what plans does the Modi government have to rehabilitate all the displaced citizens back in the Valley," he said, referring to 'The Kashmir Files', a film based the 1990 exodus of lakhs of Kashmiri Pandits from the Valley.
Taking a swipe at the BJP leader, Tapase said he has "finally" made a mention of "Ambedkar's India" while targeting Pawar and hoped the former CM and his party would live up to it in letter and spirit.
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