Nobody can ignore late Hindutva ideologue VD Savarkar바카라s sacrifice for the country바카라s independence struggle but disagreements over him cannot be made a national issue today as there are many pressing matters to focus on, said Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar on Saturday.
Defending Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who is being targeted by the Bharatiya Janata Party for speaking about issues in India on foreign soil, he said this is not the first time an Indian has spoken about issues in the country while abroad.
Pawar was speaking at the Press Club in Nagpur, where he also visited Union minister Nitin Gadkari바카라s home.
To a query on whether he spoke to Rahul Gandhi about Savarkar and if the Congress leader would slow down in his criticism of the late Hindutva ideologue, Pawar said leaders of 18-20 political parties recently sat and discussed major issues before the country.
The BJP has accused Gandhi of repeatedly 바카라insulting바카라 Savarkar. It is also organising Savarkar Gaurav Yatra in his honour.
바카라I suggested that there is a need for us to deliberate on the way the country is being run by those in power,바카라 he said.
Pawar said, 바카라Today, Savarkar is not a national issue, it is an old thing. We had said a few things about Savarkar but it was not personal. It was against Hindu Maha Sabha. But there is another side to it as well. We cannot ignore the sacrifice made by Savarkar ji for the independence of the country.바카라
About 32 years ago, Pawar said, he had spoken in Parliament about Savarkar바카라s progressive views. He said Savarkar built a house in Ratnagiri and also constructed a small temple in front of it. 바카라He deputed a person from the Valmiki community to perform puja in the temple. I think this was a very progressive thing,바카라 said Pawar.
The NCP leader said there is no need to thrust Savarkar into the national narrative especially because there many other major issues concerning the common public.
On the BJP바카라s criticism of Gandhi, Pawar said the Congress leader also has the freedom to put his opinion like everyone else.
Asked if it is proper for a leader to speak about issues concerning India on foreign soil, Pawar said one should not give much importance to it as this has not been done for the first time.
The NCP leader leaders criticised the government in the past as well. 바카라Only now such issues are being brought up repeatedly. If people feel agitated over something in the country and if an Indian talks about it, then I think those issues should be addressed.바카라
To a query if he thinks Lok Sabha and state elections will be held together in 2024, Pawar said they won바카라t happen at the same time.
During his Nagpur visit, Pawar also visited Union minister Nitin Gadkari at the latter바카라s home and called it a courtesy visit. On the request of Gadkari to Pawar, a sub-centre of Vasantdada Sugar Institute, Pune, is coming up in Nagpur. Pawar is the president of this institute.
-With PTI Input
