Issues such as the Citizenship Amendment Act and the National Register of Citizens are being brought forward by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to divert people’s attention from the government’s failures on various fronts, especially its economic policies, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) president Sharad Pawar said here on Monday.
Mr. Pawar said he was surprised by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s comment at Delhi’s Ramlila ground on Sunday that his government had never discussed a countrywide NRC. President Ramnath Kovind had talked about the government’s plan to implement NRC across the country in his joint address to Parliament.
Home Minister Amit Shah had also spoken on this in Rajya Sabha, Mr. Pawar said.
“When a major policy is brought, a discussion takes place at the government level. Such a policy will not come before the country without that. Secondly, the country’s Home Minister had said in Parliament that they will bring NRC across the country,” said Mr. Pawar. He added that the President’s speech reflects the government’s policy and now to say there was no discussion on this (NRC in the Cabinet) is not right.
“I think the government has failed on every front. To divert attention of the public at large from such a situation, they are raising these issues and giving such speeches,” he added.
Commenting of the defeat of the BJP in Jharkhand, Mr. Pawar said, “The weakening condition of the economy is one of the major reasons behind the party’s loss. The situation in Jharkhand is different from other States. It is an Adivasi-dominated State where there is more poverty. In such a situation, the BJP tried to use financial strength to retain power. But I am happy the people of Jharkhand have not accepted the BJP. I want to thank the people of Jharkhand,” Mr. Pawar said.
“It is a defeat for the BJP and those leading the party will have to take responsibility for it, be it the PM or the party president,” he said.
‘Am I also a naxalite?’
Asked about the ongoing trial in the Koregaon-Bhima riot case, Mr.Sharad Pawar said he had held talks with several people regarding the same. “It is really unfortunate that people have been behind bars for more than a year only because of naxalism-related literature found with them. Even I read many books and someone may find books on naxalism at my house as well. Does that mean I am a naxalite too?” asked the NCP chief.
