It’S not every day that one hears of political opponents being respectful of each other. But yesterday, with the news of Mrinal Gore, veteran Janata Dal leader passing away, Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar expressed his grief over her death.

1928-2012

Despite their political differences, NCP chief Pawar was respectful of Gore and just a few months ago had even visited the social leader at her Goregaon home reminiscing of the old days when they were opponents. In fact, in 1998, when Sharad Pawar became Chief Minister and had decided that more than 250 plots in Bombay, which had been reserved for schools, gardens, hospitals and other public spaces would be dereserved and handed over to private builders for commercial constructions, it was owing to Gore’s several public protests that led Pawar to call off the decision.