No Home Minister externed from their state: Sharad Pawar hits back at Amit Shah for ‘politics of betrayal’ remark

Pawar’s remark was a reference to Shah’s two-year externment from Gujarat in 2010 in connection with the Sohrabuddin Sheikh fake encounter case, in which he was discharged for lack of evidence. Speaking at the BJP state-level convention in Shirdi on Sunday, Shah said, “The BJP’s victory in Maharashtra buried the politics of instability and backstabbing, started by Sharad Pawar in 1978. You (the people) have buried such politics 20 feet underground.”

Pawar replied, “I was the Chief Minister in 1978. I am not aware of his (Shah’s) whereabouts at that time…leaders like Uttamrao Patil from the Jan Sangh were part of the government.”

Referring to Shah’s criticism against Uddhav Thackeray, Pawar said, “When this gentleman (Amit Shah after he was deported) could not stay in Gujarat, he came to Mumbai. He went to Balasaheb Thackeray’s home and requested his cooperation. Uddhav Thackeray will have more information about this. Unfortunately, these examples are enough to show how low can one stoop. I think Amit Shah’s statements will not be taken into account even by his party,” said Pawar.

Pawar further pointed out that the then Prime Minister late Atal Bihari Vajpayee had made him the Vice Chairman of the Disaster Management Authority after the Bhuj earthquake, despite being in the Opposition.

“There used to be ‘susanvad’ (good communication) between political leaders earlier but that is missing now,” he said. On Amit Shah’s call to party cadres for Shat Pratishat (100 per cent BJP government), Pawar said that is their right but the Opposition will not let that happen in Maharashtra. He, however, said Shah has sent strong signal to allies Shiv Sena and NCP, whose leaders are capable to take their respective stand in this regard.