"Was Unwell": NCP's Ajit Pawar Slams Media For "Unreachable" Speculation

Nationalist Congress Party leader Ajit Pawar on Saturday said he was 'distressed' to read 'unfounded' speculations against him in the media after he failed to turn up at a scheduled event. Mr Pawar had recently differed from opposition parties who were targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his educational qualification. It is not right to question the degrees of ministers and that people should focus on what a leader has achieved in their tenure, he had said. His cancellation of programmes soon after, and the fact that he was unreachable on the phone, triggered speculation in political circles about his next move.

Ajit Pawar today claimed he cancelled his programmes for Friday as he was unwell after long tours across Maharashtra over the past few days, and asked the media to not speculate on such issues as it caused confusion.

"I was unwell, so I cancelled tours and events scheduled for Friday. Over the past few days, I have travelled across Maharashtra and have not got enough rest. Due to lack of proper sleep, pulmonary irritation was also on the rise. I took medicines and took rest at home as advised by the doctor," he said.

"I, too, am human and might face health issues. The media must stop speculating during such times and verify before publishing any news. We are public figures, but it is wrong to defame us in this manner," he added.

Speaking regarding Prime Minister Narendra Modi's educational qualifications, while addressing a public meeting on Sunday, Ajit Pawar said, "In the year 2014 did the public vote for Prime Minister Modi on the basis of his degree? It was the charisma he had created which helped him win the elections."

"Now he has been representing the country for nine years. It is not fair to ask about his degree. We should question him on issues like inflation and unemployment. Minister's degree is not an important issue," he added.

Mr Pawar has been considered soft on BJP ever since he formed a surprise short-lived government in Maharashtra in November 2019, with Devendra Fadnavis taking oath as Chief Minister and himself as Deputy Chief Minister. The BJP and Shiv Sena had fallen out after the 2019 Assembly elections.

Aam Aadmi Party leaders have constantly attacked the PM over his degrees.

While Arvind Kejriwal said today's youth are aspirational, and an uneducated person can't lead them, jailed former Delhi minister Manish Sisiodia, in a handwritten letter from jail, alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's lack of educational qualification is 'dangerous' for India. 

Mr Kejriwal was recently fined Rs 25,000 by the Gujarat High Court for asking for details of the PM's graduation and post-graduation degrees through Right to Information (RTI).