Pawar targets Sonia’s `foreign’ origin

He said that Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee ought to explain to the country what his government was doing when Pakistani soldiers crossed the Line of Control.

Pawar pooh-poohed Sonia Gandhi for demanding a white paper on intruders when soldiers were fighting the battle. He said what was expected from the Congress president was that one should forget differences and stand for national interests at such a crucial juncture. He added that one should not discuss who kept the windows open when thieves had already entered the house. Pawar said he would blame Sonia since it was issue of commitment to soil.

Pawar said he had no personal enmity with Sonia but raised the issue of her foreign origin for the sake of the pride of the nation. He added that psychopaths around Sonia told her at the Congress Working Committee meeting that the issue would hardly matter for the party since all Indian were eagerly awaiting her leadership. Pawar said, he along with P A Sangma contradicted the view saying that party had no satisfactory explanation if people asked why the Congress could not find any Indian to lead the country. Pawar said the country had no future if it had no self-respect.

The rally was presided over by former vice-chancellor Shridhar Gupte. Former district collector Shriniwas Patil, who recently joined the National Congress Party (NCP) after resigning from his post, also addressed the rally.

Later in the evening, Pawar continued his attack on Sonia at the rally of artistes. The rally was attended by prominent personalities of Marathi theater and cinema including Machhindra Kambli, Mohan Joshi, Jaymala Shiledar, Suryakant Mandhre, Leela Gandhi, Prakash Inamdar, Suhasini Deshpande, Vithabai Narayangaokar, Vishwas Sarpotdar, Lata Narvekar and Mangala Bansode. All the artistes pledged support to Pawar.