Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) (SP) president Sharad Pawar on Thursday criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his comments on the Ram temple in Ayodhya and the opposition Congress Party.
Addressing a campaign rally in Ambejogai in Beed district for NCP (SP) Lok Sabha candidate Bajrang Sonawane, Pawar dismissed Modi’s claim that if elected, the Congress will close the temple. Pawar questioned whether a government could close a publicly funded temple, pointing out that the temple in Ayodhya was erected with donations from people across the country, PTI reported.
“Have you ever heard a government close a temple built with people’s funds? The country is happy that the Ram temple has come up in Ayodhya. Thousands of people from across the country contributed to its construction. But Prime Minister Modi says INDIA alliance will close the temple if it comes to power. Can such a thing be done? Pawar asked, according to the news agency report.
According to the report, Prime Minister Modi, at a rally in Madhya Pradesh, said he wanted the NDA to win 400 seats in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections to ensure that the Congress does not repeal Article 370 in Kashmir and put a “lockdown Babri” in Ayodhya. Ram Mandir.
Pawar has criticized Modi’s tendency to target his political opponents in his speeches, stating that instead of focusing on his achievements and future goals, Modi spends a substantial amount of time insulting his opponents. He criticized Modi for frequently using the phrase “shehzada” to refer to Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, alleging that it was disrespectful towards Gandhi and his family, whose contributions to the nation are substantial and must be recognised.
“Modi frequently comes to Maharashtra because he knows that the state is voting against him, based on the vote percentage in the first two phases. So, instead of talking about what he did in the last 10 years and what proposes to do in the coming years, he dedicates most of his speeches to belittling his political rivals,” said the veteran leader and added: “Rahul Gandhi has traveled the length and breadth of the country to meet people, understand their problems and work for a better tomorrow. But Modi calls him “shehzada” and attacks his family, whose contribution to the nation will never be forgotten.”
Pawar emphasized that the opposition alliance INDIA is dedicated to providing strong leadership for the country after the Lok Sabha elections. Beed is one of the eleven Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra that will go to polls in the fourth phase on May 13, the report added.