Nana Patole Responds to Amit Shah's Comments on Sharad Pawar and Uddhav Thackeray

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], July 22: Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole countered Union Home Minister Amit Shah's remarks on Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Sharad Pawar. Patole alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is the 'biggest Sardar of corruption.'

'In 2014, Sharad Pawar was conferred with Padma Vibhushan by the NDA government itself, and now they are calling him the Sardar of corruption. The biggest Sardar of corruption is Modi himself,' Patole said on Monday.

Amit Shah, while addressing a BJP conclave in Pune, said, 'They (the opposition) are speaking about corruption. The biggest mastermind of corruption in Indian politics is Sharad Pawar and I have no confusion in that. What will they accuse us of now? If somebody has done the job of institutionalising corruption, Sharad Pawar, it is you. And you are accusing us of corruption?'

The Congress chief alleged that the BJP is afraid of losing power in Maharashtra and said, 'Due to which, before losing power, they were harassing Marathas. Electing 105 MLAs to BJP now seems like a mistake to the people of Maharashtra. Despite BJP being in power both in the state and at the centre, why are they not giving reservation to Marathas?'

'Land worth thousands of crores is being snatched at the behest of BJP leaders. Big projects are shifting from Maharashtra to Gujarat,' he added.

On Amit Shah's remarks on Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray, Nana Patole said, 'Everyone knows that they gave a ticket to Ujjwal Nikam. Whatever miracle happened that night, only Ujjwal Nikam can tell. Was he working for the government or for BJP? Government lawyers should be impartial, not for any party. Ujjwal Nikam has contested the Lok Sabha elections, so now it is becoming clear what his real face is.'

Amit Shah attacked Uddhav Thackeray and said, 'Maha Vikas Aghadi is Aurangzeb fan club. This Aurangzeb fan club cannot ensure India's security. Uddhav Thackeray is the leader of this Aurangzeb Fan club.'

'This Fan Club cannot make Maharashtra and India safe. It's only the BJP that can ensure the safety and security of all,' Shah said while addressing the gathering in Pune. 'Uddhav Thackeray shares his meals with people involved with Kasab, he supports PFI and stands against renaming Aurangabad as Sambhaji Nagar,' he added.