Mumbai: NCP chief Sharad Pawar has slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the latter’s criticism of chief ministers of opposition parties saying
“The prime minister should not use words which show disrespect to the chief minister of a state. If we have to save our democracy, then we need to follow some norms and maintain dignity,” Pawar said in Pune on Thursday.
The veteran leader’s statement has come on the backdrop of the PM targeting the chief ministers of opposition-ruled states in the ongoing assembly elections in five states.
“Unfortunately we have not seen such kind of politics, the way the PM is putting forth things,. I have listened to the speeches of all prime ministers from Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi to Lal Bahadur Shastri. They always followed a principle that whenever the PM goes to a certain state, they never spoke about the CM of that state with contempt. But he (Modi) is the first PM, who when he goes to a certain state and if there is an opposition party ruling, he attacks their CM personally,” Pawar said.
The NCP chief said that the rulers are making these statements as they have lost their confidence. “It is being seen in the assembly elections for five states. But I am sure people will not accept it. Modi will have to pay the price for it. When a person loses confidence, he starts making personal comments. No prime minister did this before,” he added.
Pawar also hit out at union home minister Amit Shah for promising a free of cost Ram Lalla darshan in Ayodhya if people vote the BJP to power in Madhya Pradesh. “Do you have to pay money to enter the Mandir? The rulers have stooped to such a level that they are talking about providing free darshan in Ram Mandir. The issue is not even worth talking about,” he said.
