After NCP boss Sharad Pawar meets PM over harassing raids by central agency, Sanjay Raut ups the heat against BJP’s Kirit Somaiya
NCP chief Sharad Pawar at his Delhi home on Wednesday. Pic/PTI
Nationalist Congress Party president Sharad Pawar has told Prime Minister Narendra Modi that the Enforcement Directorate’s action against Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut’s family was an act of injustice.
ADVERTISEMENT
On Wednesday, Pawar’s meeting with Modi in Parliament House gave rise to speculations of rapprochement with the BJP in view of the current scenario in Maharashtra, particularly over the functioning of the ED and other central agencies. Non-BJP leaders in the state have accused the Centre of misusing the agencies to target the opposition.
The NCP boss chose to clear the air at a media conference. “I told the prime minister that Raut is a Rajya Sabha member and senior journalist, and attaching his flat and half an acre of land was injustice. It is such a small property,” he said.
“What was the provocation [for taking action against Raut]?” he asked. “Is it because he criticises the BJP? What was the need [to attach the properties]?” he said while observing that it was clear that the agencies were being misused. He said he did not expect the PM to react immediately to his submission, but hoped that he [Modi] would give it a thought.
Pawar said he did not discuss other leaders, including his party colleagues, who face the ED and other agencies. “It was my duty to tell the PM about Raut because he is my Rajya Sabha colleague,” he said.
In addition, Pawar also told Modi about the inordinate delay Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari has caused in appointing the 12 nominees to the Legislative council. “Two-and-a-half years have passed since the Maharashtra Cabinet sent the governor its recommendations, but the governor has not acted upon it,” he said. Public issues related to Lakshadweep were also discussed with the PM, he added.
MVA is strong
Pawar said no pressure whatsoever will undo the MVA. “The government will complete five years in office, and it will be back in power in the next elections as well,” he said. Pawar, who stitched the MVA together in 2019, added that there were no complaints from the Congress, one of the constituents.
He said the NCP was never with the BJP and it will not go with the Modi-led party. “It’s a three-party government. We have clear-cut thinking that we are together against the BJP.”
About him taking over as the UPA chairman, Pawar said he was not interested in shouldering the responsibility and he did not want to disturb the present set-up. However, he said some CMs of non-BJP states have mooted the idea of getting all non-BJP parties together.
‘Somaiya embezzled Rs 57 crore raised for Vikrant’
Sanjay Raut, Shiv Sena MP
A day after the assets of his wife and aides were attached by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in a money laundering case, Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut alleged that former BJP MP Kirit Somaiya has embezzled R57 crore that was collected through crowdfunding for saving the retired Indian naval ship IMS (Indian Museum Ship) Vikrant, which eventually was scrapped.
Raut said Somaiya had begun a crowdfunding mission in 2013 on the promise that the money collected would be deposited in the Raj Bhavan’s account. Serving and retired defence officials and civilians had contributed wholeheartedly, he said in New Delhi, adding that the Raj Bhavan has given in writing that there was no record of such money being deposited in its account. Raut also produced a response to an RTI query from Raj Bhavan.
Raut demanded that action be taken by the Centre and State because the money was invested in the company owned by Somaiya’s son and used in the election.
Reacting to the allegation, Somaiya challenged Raut to submit the evidence to CM Uddhav Thackeray, who, he said, may form an SIT to probe the charge.
Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" Click here!
