Some social media users pointed out that Pawar was quoting a poem by Jawahar Rathod which deals with the issue of casteism
Sharad Pawar. File pic
A day after the Maharashtra unit of the BJP tweeted an edited video of his speech and accused him of being a Hindu-hater, NCP chief Sharad Pawar on Thursday said he was reading out lines from a poem which presents the pain of the labourer class, but those who wanted to spread misinformation were free to do so.
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The @BJP4Maharashtra on Wednesday tweeted a short video of Pawar's speech in Satara and claimed that "atheist Sharad Pawar always hated Hindu religion" and he would not have achieved his political success without insulting Hindu gods and goddesses and indulging in casteism. Some social media users pointed out that Pawar was quoting a poem by Jawahar Rathod which deals with the issue of casteism.
Speaking to reporters at Purandar in Pune on May 12, Pawar explained that he was reading lines from Rathod's poem 'Patharvat' (Stone-cutter). In the poem, the stone-cutter says he made the idols of Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh using his chisel and these idols were installed in the temple, but the stone-cutters themselves were not allowed to step inside the temple because they are from a lower caste. "The stonecutter questions whether Brahma is the creator of the world or we (those who make his idols) are his father," the NCP chief said, reading out the poem again. "The poet voices the pain of the labourers who rue that they sculpted idols from the rock but they are stopped from entering the temple. The poem depicts pain, but if some people want to spread misinformation, they are free to do so," the NCP chief said, without naming the BJP. "When people will look for where it is written, they will find this book," he added. NCP leader and state housing minister Jitendra Awhad said Maharashtra has a "legacy of defying traditions that enslaved people for over 5,000 years."
"Those who criticise Pawar should not forget it," he said. Congress leader Sachin Sawant said, "The followers of Manu would not understand various saints and their opposition to regressive religious practices. Saints like Tukaram and Janabai explicitly opposed various traditions." Meanwhile, speaking at the press conference at Purandar, Pawar also said people of the country are wise and they know how to teach a lesson to erring politicians. When Indira Gandhi imposed Emergency, people defeated her in the next elections and gave power to Morarji Desai and Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Pawar said. But when it became clear that these leaders can not run the government, people gave the reins back to Indira Gandhi, he added.
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