Sharad Pawar makes a soul-stirring plea 'to regain the glory of progressive Maharashtra'

Mumbai: Barely four days ahead of the state Assembly elections, senior statesman and Nationalist Congress Party (SP) leader Sharad Pawar has called upon the voters to regain the progressive, cultured, self-respecting, tolerant and strong Maharashtra this time, here on Saturday.

Making a passionate appeal, Pawar, 84, said Maharashtra has always been at the forefront, always giving a direction not only to the state but the whole country, rising to help out in a crisis, be it the Panipat Wars or the First War of Independence in 1857.

“It was once said that the nation’s wheels cannot move without Maharashtra… But now we are witnessing how the current MahaYuti regime has become a puppet dancing to the tunes of the rulers in New Delhi,” said Pawar.

In his signature-style soft words, the NCP (SP) supremo lashed out at the state government saying it has become their business to foment caste-communal venom or clashes that have made Dalits, Minorities and OBCs feel insecure.

He said that the present rulers have no respect for icons like Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj who protected all faiths, Dr B. R. Ambedkar, Chhatrapati Rajarshi Sahu Maharaj and Mahatma Jyotirao Phule, but are attempting to change the Constitution which was strongly foiled by the people of the state in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

“The MahaYuti government has taken up the job of insulting people of progressive thoughts. We can’t forget how a constitutional appointee like a (former) Governor had mocked the marital lives of Mahatma Jyotirao Phule and Savitri J. Phule. A stunned Maharashtra witnessed how a statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj crashed in Sindhudurg. Now the time has come to bring down this regime, for which I need your support,” said Pawar.

Detailing instance of how Maharashtra is suffering, the NCP (SP) chief said that the state contributes 40 of tax revenues and 20 per cent GST to the national kitty, but the Centre is looting the state owing to which (Maharashtra) is buried under a huge debt of Rs 8 lakh crore, making it difficult to continue any of its ‘favourite schemes’ and hence MahaYuti must be unseated.

Unemployment has touched new heights but several mega-projects have been taken out of the state, Mumbai’s International Financial Service Centre, the National Marine Police Academy and other major institutions went to Gujarat, besides irregularities and scams in public examination papers, adding to the woes of the jobless, he said further.

On one hand, the farmers in the state are abandoned without the promised ‘doubling of income’, minimum support price for their produce, faulty policies against which Pawar himself agitated for the growers, and on the other the masses are suffering with sky-rocking inflation that have made domestic budgets go haywire, said Pawar.

Touching on the deteriorating law and order, the NCP (SP) leader recalled how one ruling party MLA opened fire inside a police station in Ulhasnagar (Thane, the CM’s home-district), another Mumbai MLA fired bullets during Ganeshotsav immersion ceremonies, with one of them gloating that ‘since my boss is sitting as home minister nobody can touch me’.

“He issued a certificate on who is shielding him… A senior leader like Baba Z. Siddique was killed, there are shocking rape cases in Badlapur (Thane) and Bopdev Ghat (Pune), thousands of girls/women have gone ‘missing’ in the state, narcotic drug peddlers flee with official blessings, a Porsche driver (Pune) is being supported by a MLA… The situation is truly horrifying,” asserted Pawar.

“Corruption has reached new heights in the state, whether for ‘deals’ in Mantralaya, or the construction of the Chhatrapati statue that toppled (August 26), or the school uniforms scam… But there are no visionary policies or new projects for the state,” slammed Pawar.

He called upon the people to support the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) with a ‘hand’, ‘Flaming Torch’ and a ‘Trumpeter’, “to regain the self-respect and dignity of Maharashtra from those who split political parties, broke up families, spewed caste-communal poisons, and challenged reservation in courts”.

“The time has come to teach a lesson to them (MahaYuti), that Maharashtra with the strength of the peasants, workers and labourers will not bend before anybody. Come on, people and show them once again… Help save the state from these traitors by voting for the MVA candidates to restore our lost glory,” exhorted Pawar.