'Pawar' play? BJP hints at NCP chief's role in Raut & Ahwad's anti-Indira Gandhi remarks

Amid strife in Maha Vikas Aghadi over Maharashtra Housing Minister Jitendra Awhad’s remark against former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, BJP MLA Ashish Shelar on Thursday alleged that this was a part of NCP chief Sharad Pawar’s strategy to settle scores with Gandhi family.

Shelar drew a link between Awhad’s remarks and Sena MP Sanjay Raut’s allegation that Indira Gandhi had met members of underworld. Shelar buttressed his claim by pointing out excellent relationship that Raut and Awhad enjoy with Sharad Pawar.  

Read: Raut Lands CM Uddhav In Soup; Warkari Community Threatens Stir Over Insult To Lord Vitthal

Read: Yashwant Sinha's 'Gandhi Shanti Yatra' Names Sharad Pawar Congress Chief, Twitter Responds

Remarks against Indira Gandhi

Awhad's remarks at a public rally on Wednesday sparked off current controversy. Recalling movement against Emergency, he observed that Indira Gandhi had strangulated democracy at that time. Immediately, his Cabinet colleague and senior Congress leader Ashok Chavan issued a veiled warning in this regard. 

Jitendra Awhad remarked, "Indira Gandhi had also strangulated democracy and body was ready to speak against her. n, students from Ahmedabad and Patna protested and JP (Jayaprakash Narayan) movement started leading to her defeat. This history will be repeated in Maharashtra and country."

On or hand, Raut made a sensational claim about clout of underworld dons in Maharashtra during Congress regime. According to him, mafia had a say even in appointment of Police Commissioner. Moreover, he observed that Indira Gandhi met don Karim Lala.  

"y (underworld) used to decide who will be Mumbai's police commissioner and who will sit in Mantralaya (state secretariat)," Raut said. He added, "When (underworld don) Haji Mastan came to Mantralaya, entire secretariat would come down to see him. Indira Gandhi used to meet Karim Lala in Pydhonie (in south Mumbai)". 

Read: Ajit Pawar Takes A Veiled Dig At Ashok Chavan, Appeals 'let Only Top MVA Leadership Speak'

Frosty relationship with Gandhis

It is important to te that Pawar was a senior leader of Congress for many decades. However, he quit party in 1999 in protest over alleged Prime Ministerial ambitions of Italy-born Sonia Gandhi. Subsequently, he took a U-turn and formed government in Maharashtra along with Congress- a combination that ruled state for 15 consecutive years. However, it is speculated that he still shares an uneasy relationship with Congress president as PM's post eluded him over years. This came to fore during hectic parlays for government formation in Maharashtra in vember 2019, when both Congress and NCP blamed each or for a delay in finalising alliance.  

Read: NCP Confused? Pawar's Party Issues Opposing Stances On CAA, Claims Uddhav's Hands Tied