New Delhi, Apr 11 (PTI) The JD(U) today suggested NCP chief Sharad Pawar to lead like-minded parties to take on the ruling BJP and be the ‘shehanshah’ for the helpless people, saying at present there is no other leader in sight to do the job.
JD(U) leader KC Tyagi said this at the release of Pawar’s autobiography ‘Apani Sharto Par’ (On My Terms) here.
Responding, Pawar cryptically said the opposition parties should work together to deal with current political situation. Senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad, CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury, CPI’s national secretary D Raja and NCP leader also attended the event. “(Today) The dialogue has stopped. Now, there is only monologue. What the government, a particular party says is only the truth. But that is not true. “The disagreement is under threat. And there is no alternative other than you,” Tyagi told Pawar, without naming the ruling party. The JD(U) general secretary also urged Pawar to visit Alwar, where a Muslim man, Pehlu Khan, was lynched to death allegedly by cow vigilantes, saying his trip will “stir” atmosphere. Expressing concerns over the incident, Tyagi said “human being is being killed for an animal”. “The helpless has no voice today. Those who stoked hopes have let down. Now only your leadership is there…you become Shivaji, Maharana Pratap, but at the same time also be the Shehnshah of this country and wipe tears of people,” he said. On his part, Yechury said the ‘Idea of India’ was under threat and called for secular and democratic parties to join the hands. Lauding Pawar, Yechury suggested the NCP president to “play his role” in view of current political scenario, dominated by BJP, and said the veteran leader’s “innings is not yet over”. “You will have to play a role in it,” Yechury said. Azad heaped praises on Pawar for his contribution as the country’s agriculture minister and the chief minister of Maharashtra. He, however, did not directly comment on the issue of opposition unity and Pawar’s role in it. “You (Pawar) may have lost a lot by doing politics on your terms, but have achieved a lot leading life on your terms. Mahatma Gandhi lived so. “He could not become the country’s Prime Minister, President, but became Father of the Nation,” Azad added. Responding, Pawar said that like-minded parties should work together on an ideology which can help solve the country’s problems. “The speakers (leaders) spoke (during the event) about me more than the issues. Leave these things. We should work together on the ideology which can solve the country’s problem,” he said. Pawar likened the situation to post-Emergency era and expressed hope that the people of the country would “bring about change as they had in 1977” when no political force emerges as alternative to a ruling party. Without naming RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, Pawar hit out at his recent statement pushing for a total ban on cow slaughter and fell back on Hindu Mahasabha leader Vinayak Damodar Sawarkar’s “cow is an useful animal” statement. “Sawarkar said he would not blame anyone if he/she kills cow and eats its beef when it is not useful and becomes burden on farmer. “We cannot overlook his thinking. I don’t think it is right to impose someone’s thinking on those who hold different view,” he said.
