Veteran Maharashtra politician Sharad Pawar, recently labeled the ‘kingpin of corruption’ by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, has struck back with a pointed reminder. Pawar highlighted Shah’s past, specifically his expulsion from Gujarat by the Supreme Court.
“A few days ago, Home Minister Amit Shah attacked me and called me a few things. He called me the ‘commander of all the corrupt people in the country.’ Strangely, the home minister is a person who misused the law of Gujarat and for this, the Supreme Court banished him from Gujarat,” said Pawar, leader of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP – Sharadchandra Pawar).
Pawar’s retort was not just a defense but a critical commentary on the current political scenario. “The one who was banished is the home minister today. So, we should think about where we are headed. The way the people in whose hands this country is, are taking the wrong path, we should think about it; or else, I am 100% confident that they will take the country on the wrong path. We must pay attention to this,” he added.
In 2010, Amit Shah, then a prominent Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) member, was expelled from his home state for two years due to his alleged involvement in the Sohrabuddin Sheikh encounter case. He was acquitted in 2014.
The political heat intensified on July 21 when Shah, at a BJP conclave in Pune, accused the former Union Minister of ‘institutionalising corruption.’ “They (opposition) are speaking about corruption. The biggest kingpin of corruption in Indian politics is Sharad Pawar, and I have no confusion about that. What will they accuse us of now? If somebody has done the job of institutionalising corruption, Sharad Pawar, it is you,” Shah declared.
This exchange comes at a crucial time as Maharashtra gears up for its next government elections in October. The ruling alliance, Mahayuti, includes the BJP, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena, and the NCP faction led by Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, Sharad Pawar’s nephew. On the other side, the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) coalition comprises the Congress, Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray), and the NCP (SP).
As the political climate heats up, these barbs between key political figures underscore the intense rivalry and high stakes of the upcoming elections. The accusations and counter-accusations are not just about personal vendettas but reflect deeper political strategies aimed at shaping public perception and winning voter trust.