‘Shivaji didn’t snatch anyone’s land’: Sharad Pawar’s handshake with PM and dig

Maharashtra,Aug 1:  Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) founder Sharad Pawar, on Tuesday, shared stage and shook hands at an event in Pune, weeks after a split in Pawar’s party led by his nephew Ajit Pawar who joined the BJP and Eknath Shinde-led Maharashtra government.

PM Modi and Sharad Pawar exchanged smiles and a few words at the event where the PM was honoured with the prestigious Lokmanya Tilak National Award.

Sharad Pawar, who had caused a disquiet in the Opposition ranks by attending the event, seemingly took a dig at PM Modi, saying that “Shivaji Maharaj never snatched anyone’s land”. It was viewed as Sharad Pawar hinting at the split in the Shiv Sena last year which led to the collapse of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government in Maharashtra.

Opposition parties in the state had alleged that the BJP had engineered the split in Shiv Sena, leading to the political turmoil.

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After receiving the award, the prime minister gave a speech wherein he said that he dedicated the Lokmanya Tilak National Award to 140 crore Indians.

Speaking about activist Bal Gangadhar Tilak who was part of the freedom struggle, Modi said that when the award is linked with Tilak, “responsibility doubles”.

“We can’t explain his contribution to India’s freedom struggle in some words,” he said.

“Lokmanya Tilak had a unique ability to identify young talents. Veer Savarkar was one such example,” he added.

He also praised the city of Pune, calling it synonymous with knowledge. “Pune is synonymous with knowledge, so I feel very lucky and blessed to be honored in the city… Nothing like it,” he said.

“I bow down on this important day, to Pune’s pious land. This land is Chhatrapati’s, Chaphrkar Bandhu, Jyotiba Phule, Savitribai Phule,” he said.

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Maharashtra Governor Ramesh Bais, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Deputy Chief Ministers Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar, and Congress leader Sushilkumar Shinde also attended the award ceremony.

The Lokmanya Tilak National Award is given to people who have worked for the progress and development of the nation and whose contribution can only be looked upon as remarkable and extraordinary, the PIB statement said.

It is presented every year on August 1, the death anniversary of Lokmanya Tilak, the statement said.

OPPOSITION ON SHARAD PAWAR SHARING STAGE WITH PM

Sharad Pawar’s attendance at the award ceremony was criticised by opposition parties such as Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena (UBT).

The Shiv Sena (UBT) on Tuesday said NCP chief Sharad Pawar could have turned his back on the event to clear doubts about him among those who have taken a dim view of it.

However, Pawar did not entertain requests from members of the opposition INDIA alliance to not share a stage with Modi. In addition, he did not meet some MPs who wanted to dissuade him from gracing the occasion.

-ANI