'Apologise to families of farmers who committed suicide in Vidarbha', Amit Shah dares Sharad Pawar

(Maharashtra): Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday dared the NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar to apologise to the families of farmers from Vidarbha who committed suicide.

Addressing an election rally in support of the BJP nominee from Amaravati, actress-turned-politician Navneet Kaur Rana, the Home Minister said, "Sharad Pawar should apologise to the families of the farmers who committed suicide in Vidarbha for not doing anything for the farming community of the region.

"Sharad Pawar was the Chief Minister of Maharashtra and the Agriculture Minister at the Centre, but he did nothing for the farmers of Vidarbha. That’s why thousands of farmers committed suicide."

Amit Shah also criticised Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray, claiming that the latter has deserted the values and teachings of his father and Shiv Sena founder, the late Balasaheb Thackeray.

"Uddhav Babu, you left Balasaheb Thackeray’s values and teachings which are now being taken forward by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. The so-called 'Hindu Rakshak' did not do anything when Umesh Kolhe, who ran a medical store in Amravati, was killed in 2022 (for allegedly supporting the statement of suspended BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma on Prophet Muhammad). But such killings will not take place under the Shinde-Fadnavis government in Maharashtra, as no one will dare to commit any such act," the Home Minister said.

Amit Shah also accused the Congress and the INDIA bloc of opposing the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya.

"The Congress and its allies always kept the issue of Ram Mandir hanging. But Narendra Modi built the temple and by installing the Ram Lalla in Ayodhya, he fulfilled the decades-long wish of scores of devotees," the Home Minister said.

He also claimed that a 'Nakli' (fake) Shiv Sena chief skipped the Pran Pratishtha ceremony of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya out of his fear for Sonia Gandhi.

"An invitation was also sent to Sharad Pawar, who did not turn up citing health issues. However, he is now travelling across the state for election campaigning" he added.