NCP chief Sharad Pawar took a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s guarantees on Thursday, noting how many of them remain unfulfilled, and how the emphasis on cows and ‘gaumutra’ remained topped the central government’s agenda.

Pawar referenced the years 2016-2017, highlighting the Prime Minister’s commitment to doubling farmers’ income by 2022. He observed that as of 2024, farmers’ income had not reached the promised doubling.

Furthermore, Pawar made mention of the Prime Minister’s assurance regarding the provision of pucca houses for urban residents, expressing uncertainty about the outcome of those announcements. He noted that Modi frequently emphasised guarantees that, according to him, have not been fulfilled on multiple occasions.

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Pawar further alleged that Modi’s infrequent appearances in Parliament led to surprise among members when he presents government policies, leaving them in a state of shock. “Modi rarely comes to Parliament. When he comes to Parliament and puts forward government policies, it leaves the members shell-shocked,” Pawar said.

He compared the BJP’s operational methods during election period and their campaign machinery to that of Adolf Hitler, stating, “It (BJP) has raised an aggressive campaign machinery. It is similar to the one which Hitler had in Germany.”

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These comments were made during the final day of the two-day NCP (Sharad Pawar faction) camp held in the Shirdi area of Ahmednagar district. The event was attended by several prominent party members, including working president Supriya Sule, state party president Jayant Patil, women’s wing president Rohini Khadse, national treasurer Hemant Takle, MPs Fouzia Khan and Amol Kolhe, as well as former ministers Anil Deshmukh, Eknath Khadse, and Rajesh Tope.

Further criticising the Narendra Modi-led BJP, Pawar asserted that the government has adopted a stance that neglects the marginalised segments of society. He alleged that the government’s priorities lie solely with cow, ‘gaumutra’ (cow urine), and Golwalkar (RSS ideologue).

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Moreover, Pawar claimed that during the tenure of the Congress-NCP alliance in Maharashtra, they had implemented a 5 per cent reservation for the Muslim community. However, when the government changed, this 5 per cent reservation was revoked. He stated that the government’s position is contrary to the interests of minority groups in society.

Highlighting the absence of the BJP in Southern India, Pawar remarked, “Despite claims of winning 400 seats, BJP’s presence in Southern states like Kerala, West Bengal, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Jharkhand, Punjab, and Delhi is virtually non-existent as they are not in power.”

Pawar also urged the state government to grant reservations to the Maratha community while ensuring that it doesn’t affect the quota allocated to the OBC community.

The NCP founder further added that there’s growing unrest among various communities today – the Maratha community, Dhangars, Muslims, Lingayats – all seeking reservation. “The young generation in different communities need help. We will have to ensure that we provide reservation to them,” the NCP president said.