Team Anna's allegations of corruption against Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on allocation of coal blocks were “irresponsible” and made without any substantive evidence, said Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar.
The Nationalist Congress Party chief was speaking after the party's executive meeting here on Saturday.
The meeting discussed organisational strategies with an eye on the 2014 parliamentary and Assembly elections.
While senior NCP leaders directed jibes against the ally, the Congress, Mr. Pawar said: “There are ups and downs in every alliance. We need this [Congress-NCP coalition in Maharashtra] to keep communal forces [the BJP-Shiv Sena] at bay.”
Mr. Pawar termed Maharashtra losing business to neighbouring States as unfortunate and blamed it on the State government's faulty policy.
He cited examples of Mahindra and Mahindra's decision to defer further investment in the State and Maruti's decision to invest in Gujarat in this context.
Senior NCP leaders R.R. Patil and Chhagan Bhujbal took pot shots at the BJP, stating it was riven with factionalism.
In the wake of the drought plaguing large areas of the State, a resolution, emphasised by Mr. Pawar himself, was passed to the effect that a party Minister should tour the affected areas of Vidarbha and Marathwada once a month. This was to expand the party base as also address the problems of the people.
The move assumes significance given the bickering between the Congress and the NCP over the latter's handling of the Irrigation department, which has remained in the NCP's possession since 1999.
The former Minister, Madhukar Pichad, was unanimously re-elected State party president for a second term, extending his tenure till the 2014 Assembly elections.
Keywords: Lokpal issue, Jan Lokpal, Team Anna, anti-corruption movement, Anna-Ramdev fast, corrupt ministers list, Manmohan Singh
Baba Ramdeo and Annagi is fighting for good cause.ie, to make India corruption free. Danendra jain ask your people to bring strong lokpal bill and convict all people considering to whom you think are guilty.
Mr. Sharad Pawar's got a point here. Its irresponsible to make charges
against the PM, when Mr. Pawar himself is not facing any charges.
What an un-'sugar'y scenario, right Mr. Pawar? :)
When Team Anna or Ramdeo ask for Jan Lokpal to punish corrupt
officials and corrupt politicians, Government asked CBI, ED, IT, and
all investigating agencies to find out charges from history of these
dignitaries and immediately initiate charges against Kejriwal, kiran
Bedi, Anna Hazare, Ramdeo, Prashant Bhusan and other powerful
agitators to puncture their movement. Several Cases on flimsy grounds
have been initiated against all key members of Ramdeo and Team Anna
during last one year of movement launched by Ramdeo Baba and Team
Anna.
Now when Team Anna has submitted a Memo to Prime Minister Mr. Manmohan Singh requesting constitution of SIT (Special Investigating Team headed by any three of six specified judges) against 15 corrupt ministers including MMS , Pranab and Chidambram to investigate corruption charges , advocates of UPA are now pleading that Team Anna do not have faith on democracy and that on Supremacy of Parliament. It means all laws are meant to punish common men only
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