Prove allegations against Sharad Pawar or apologize to PM: Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi

Pune (IANS). Taking an aggressive stand, the Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) on Friday demanded Prime Minister Narendra Modi to prove his allegations against Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) President Sharad Pawar or apologise.

VBA president Prakash Ambedkar had said that the prime minister had made several allegations against the 83-year-old NCP supremo at a meeting of BJP booth workers in Bhopal last month, leading to a ruckus and a split in the party. The breakaway faction, led by senior Pawar’s nephew Ajit Pawar, joined the ruling Shiv Sena-BJP government in Maharashtra.

The chief architect of the Indian Constitution, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar’s grandson Prakash Ambedkar said, “They included the irrigation sector, the Maharashtra State Cooperative Bank and illegal mining scams. The allegations made by Modi were aired, played several times on television channels and echoed on social media.

He said that if the Prime Minister of the country is making such allegations publicly, he must have concrete information and evidence, which he must have certified from ED, CBI and I-T.

Ambedkar said, “Therefore, we request the Prime Minister to register a criminal case against the said person (Sharad Pawar) involved in corruption within 10 days and initiate the recovery process of the alleged Rs 70,000 crore scam.”

He also said that if the prime minister could not prove the allegations, he should apologize to Sharad Pawar for defaming him as it is unethical and not to be done in politics to slander a senior leader without solid evidence for electoral gains. Needed

Addressing media persons here, the VBA president warned that if PM Modi did not apologize to Sharad Pawar within 10 days, the party would launch a strong agitation on the issue.

“Sharad Pawar is part of the political front ‘India’, and therefore, we appeal to Congress leader Sonia Gandhi and Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray to also participate in the movement,” he urged.