Union Home Minister Amit Shah criticized NCP SP President Sharad Pawar, labeling him as the “mastermind” behind widespread corruption. Shah also condemned Shiv Sena UBT Chief Uddhav Thackeray, branding him as the leader of the "Aurangzeb fan club."
“Sharad Pawar institutionalised the corruption. He is the biggest mastermind of corruption in the country’s political landscape while Uddhav Thackeray is the chief of the Aurangzeb fan club. He (Thackeray) joined hands with those who supported Kasab and the Popular Front of India,” the Home Minister said while addressing the BJP’s state convention.
In his address, Shah set the stage for the upcoming Maharashtra Assembly elections, urging BJP members to stay motivated despite not securing a majority on their own. He encouraged them to aim for a larger victory in the next election to overcome any seat deficits.
“Don’t be confused and don’t get misled by the opposition’s narratives and false promises. Work with unity not just for the victory of ‘Kamal’ (lotus) but also for the allies (Shiv Sena and NCP) for the formation of the MahaYuti government,” the Home Minister said.
He urged party workers to inform voters that under Modi's leadership, the country has become “safe” and “secure,” and similarly, the MahaYuti government will ensure the safety and security of Maharashtra.
Shah took a jab at Sharad Pawar, claiming that it was the BJP government that granted reservation to the Maratha community during its tenure from 2014 to 2019. He criticized Pawar for scrapping the Maratha quota once his government took office, asserting that it was reinstated under the MahaYuti government. Shah warned that if the Maha Vikas government returned to power, the reservation could be abolished once more.
He also reproached Pawar for criticizing the BJP-led NDA government over milk powder imports, clarifying that the accusation was based on an outdated government notification. Shah pointed out that Minister Piyush Goyal had clarified that the decision was made during the UPA government, when Pawar was in charge. He emphasized that the Modi government has not imported any milk powder in the past decade and will not do so in the next five years.
“When the Sharad Pawar government came to power, the Maratha quota was scrapped. After the MahaYuti government assumed power, the Maratha community was provided with the reservation. Therefore, the BJP-led NDA/MahaYuti government should come back to power so that the Maratha quota will remain in place. If the Maha Vikas government comes to power again, they will scrap the reservation again,” the Home Minister said.
Amit Shah slammed Sharad Pawar also for accusing the BJP-led NDA government of importing milk powder.
“How can he spread lies? He is targeting the government based on an old government notification. I asked Minister Piyush Goyal, who clarified that it was not the BJP-led NDA government’s decision but taken during the UPA government when Sharad Pawar was the minister,” the Home Minister said.
"They are trying to win the elections by spreading falsehoods," Shah remarked.
Additionally, Shah criticized Pawar for his failure to resolve the Rs 10,000 crore income tax demand from Maharashtra's cooperative sugar factories. He highlighted that he resolved the issue promptly after meeting with PM Modi.
Shah also condemned Pawar for the inadequate development of Maharashtra during his tenure as Chief Minister and under the UPA government. He contrasted this with the BJP government’s contributions, noting that Maharashtra received Rs 1.91 lakh crore during the UPA’s 10-year rule compared to Rs 10.5 lakh crore from the BJP government in the last decade. Shah emphasized the BJP’s commitment to welfare through initiatives like the Ladki Bahin and Ladka Bhau schemes.
He called on all leaders and workers to effectively counter the opposition's “misleading” campaign.
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