Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut today said it is on the BJP to clarify why Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to share stage with Opposition stalwart Sharad Pawar when he attacked his party -- the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) -- just a month ago, accusing it of being corrupt and promoting dynastic politics.
"PM attacked NCP a month ago. And after the corruption attack, the NCP leaders (Ajit Pawar faction) went with BJP. And today those leaders will be there. So, either you threaten them or say that your allegations of corruption against NCP/Shiv Sena (UBT) are false and hence we are sharing stage. This clarity should come from BJP," Mr Raut said.
Reiterating Sharad Pawar's clarification that he invited the PM three months ago, Sanjay Raut said he has to go if it's a non-political program.
Shiv Sena (UBT) mouthpiece Saamana said today that the PM being felicitated, and given an award, by Sharad Pawar himself is "a bone of contention".
"On one side, there is a second fight for independence in the country, and that's why people expect different behaviour from senior leaders like Sharad Pawar. Leaders will be sharing the stage with PM while NCP workers will show him black flags," it said, calling it a "complicated situation".
"Pawar says he is the Maratha face and the face of hope. So a different behaviour was expected from him. The country is fighting against Modi's fascism and an alliance INDIA is formed, of which Pawar is an important face," it said.
The editorial further accused the BJP of splitting the NCP, and said if Mr Pawar did not attend the program, his leadership and courage would have been acknowledged and appreciated across the party.
Mr Pawar is scheduled to attend an event organised by the Lokmanya Tilak Smarak Mandir Trust in Pune as the chief guest today, where he will share the stage with PM Modi, who will be conferred with the Lokmanya Tilak National Award. It has been seven years since the two appeared on a stage together.
Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, deputy chief ministers Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar, Sharad Pawar's rebel nephew, and Maharashtra Governor Ramesh Bais will also attend the event.
Several Opposition leaders, who were earlier slapped with notices by the police for their plan to protest the PM's visit to Pune, have been detained.
NCP city unit president (Sharad Pawar faction) Prashant Jagtap is one of the leaders leading the protests. Despite a police notice, Mr Jagtap said they want to stand with the people of violence-hit Manipur and hence will go ahead with the protest.
Sanjay Raut's party colleague, MP Arvind Sawant, on Monday said Sharad Pawar should reconsider his decision.
Leaders of different parties from the opposition bloc INDIA have raised the issue, saying it will be bad optics for the alliance. Some leaders have also questioned Mr Pawar's decision to attend the event, especially after his nephew Ajit Pawar had revolted against him and joined the BJP-Shiv Sena government in Maharashtra.
Mr Sawant said that Tilak had given the slogan 'Swaraj is my birthright'. But "is there Swaraj today? In today's situation, he (Sharad Pawar) should think... It is 'swa- rajya' instead - the rule of one person," he said.
"Leaders of their party (BJP) are destroying the Constitution of India, he (Sharad Pawar) should not go there," he said.
NCP (Sharad Pawar faction), Shiv Sena (UBT), and Congress are part of the opposition alliance Maha Vikas Aghadi in maharashtra.
Senior Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan on Monday said it was the NCP chief's personal decision to share stage with the PM.
