Indira Gandhi never sought votes in name of Army but PM Modi did: Sharad Pawar
Akola: NCP chief Sharad Pawar on Wednesday sought to remind Prime Minister Narendra Modi that "unlike him" former premier Indira Gandhi never sought votes in the name of the "valour of the Army" but had given credit to the security personnel for winning a crucial war for the country.
Addressing a poll rally in Balapur in the east Maharashtra city, Pawar also accused the BJP-led Central and Maharashtra governments of "not being concerned" about the plight of farmers, whom he appealed to defeat the ruling party in the October 21 Assembly elections.
The veteran politician said that people across Maharashtra were pitching for "change of guard" in the state.
"The Prime Minister of the country, Narendra Modi, campaigned on the issue of national security in the Lok Sabha polls (held earlier this year)," Pawar told the gathering while referring to the February 14 Pulwama terror attack in which 40 CRPF personnel were martyred.
The attack triggered an IAF air strike in Balakot in Pakistan.
Referring to the episode, Pawar said, the Air Force had given a "befitting reply" to the perpetrators of the Pulwama attack, but PM Modi sought vote in the name of valour shown by the security forces.
"I remember India and Pakistan had warred (in 1971).
Indira Gandhi was the prime minister then. Gandhi not only won the war (for India) and created history, but also changed the world's geography.
"The then Pakistan was divided into two parts, leading to creation of a new country called Bangladesh. But Gandhi never sought votes in the name of valour shown by the Army," the former Defence minister said.
Pawar, a former Congressman, further said Gandhi was clear in her mind that the entire country had backed the Army during the war and hence she never politicised the issue but gave credit to the security personnel.
"The Air Force's action helped the country after Pulwama. But wherever Modi Saheb went (after the air strike), he said 'we did it'. At one place, he had said that 'ghus ke maroonga' (will barge in and hit).
"It is the Army or Air Force that takes the action and these people, sitting in Delhi, will say 'ghus ke maroonga'," Pawar said.
The former Union minister alleged that plight of the common people has increased on the BJP's watch. He said the elections was an opportunity to take stock of the performance of the Devendra Fadnavis government. Pawar noted that agrarian crisis had deepened in the state during the past five years.
He alleged only 31 per cent farmers benefited from the state government's farm loan waiver scheme. "Make them seat at home if they (ruling parties) come to seek your votes," Pawar appealed.
In the run-up to the Lok Sabha elections held this summer, PM Modi had asked first-time voters to dedicate their vote to those who carried out the Balakot air strike.
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Paper leak mafia thriving under BJP's double-engine governments: Bhagwant Mann
Shimla (PTI): Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Thursday slammed the Centre over the alleged NEET paper leak and said that such incidents are surfacing in regions governed by the BJP's 'double-engine' and 'triple-engine' governments.
He said the leak and cancellation of the National Eligibility cum Entrance test (NEET) 2026 examination is a major failure on the part of the Union government.
"This is not the first time that a paper leak has happened. Such incidents have surfaced in 2017, 2021, 2024, and now even in 2026 and every time, a CBI inquiry is initiated, arrests are made, yet after a short while, the accused are released on bail," he said.
Mann, who arrived at the Dharamshala Cricket Stadium to boost the morale of the Punjab Kings team ahead of their upcoming IPL match, told the media that lakhs of students toil day and night, harbouring dreams of transforming their families' fortunes, but when exams are cancelled due to paper leaks, these students are left heartbroken.
The NEET 2026 paper held on May 3 was cancelled on May 12 after reports of a paper leak in Rajasthan.
He said that the paper leak mafia is predominantly surfacing in regions governed by the BJP's 'double-engine' and 'triple-engine' governments. "Paper leaked, dreams shattered, the country's administrative system is unable to conduct even a single examination properly", he added.
Taking a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Mann said that while Modi imposes various restrictions on the public, he himself continues to embark on foreign tours.
He asserted that the public deserves to know the country's true economic situation.
"The prime minister must disclose the current status of the country's oil reserves, the extent of our gold reserves, and fundamentally why restrictions are being imposed on every single commodity", he said.
No other nation has imposed such restrictions and the ongoing war is being used as a pretext, even though the country's economy is already in a precarious state, Mann added.
Regarding the ongoing campaign against drugs in Punjab, Mann said that the state government is continuously taking action against drug traffickers and asserted that a large number of traffickers are being sent to jail and that Punjab will soon move towards becoming drug-free.
Speaking about the upcoming IPL match between Punjab Kings and Mumbai Indians to be held in Dharamshala, Mann said that he also holds the portfolio of Punjab's sports minister and has arrived in Dharamshala to cheer the team.
