Pawar assures Rafale probe, loan waiver & 1.5 times MSP to farmers

BULDHANA: NCP supremo Sharad Pawar on Monday once again targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi government over Rafale deal by declaring that if elected to power, their government “will bring the accused to book in the scam”. He also announced complete loan waiver and one-and-a-half times minimum support Price (MSP) for farmers.


Speaking at a huge rally in Buldhana to support party’s candidate Dr Rajendra Shingane, the former agriculture minister questioned awarding of contract to (Anil Ambani’s) company which “didn’t have experience in manufacturing even paper boats”.

“By awarding such important contracts to a private firm when the Government of India’s company (Hindustan Aeronautics Limited) was there, the Modi government is filling up coffers of the industrialists. However, we will stop this loot of the exchequer and expose the wrongdoings,” Pawar said.

The rally was attended by Congress general secretary Mukul Wasnik, MLC Jogendra Kawade, Swabhimani Sanghatan state chief Ravikant Tupkar, Congress Buldhana chief Rahul Bondre, MLA Harshwardhan Sapkal, senior lawyer Majid Memon, Arun Gujarati, Krishnarao Ingle and others.

Continuing his tirade against Modi, Pawar said in countries like Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, the army there has taken complete control and India was also moving in the same direction under the Prime Minister. “In all these countries, the army has thrown away democracies and implemented dictatorship. In India too, such efforts are being made. The current dispensation is trying to throw away Constitution of India written by Bharat Ratna Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar and implement dictatorship. There’s an urgent need to stop such advances,” he said.

Recalling Bofors case, he said when accusations were labelled against former PM Rajiv Gandhi, he had constituted an inquiry panel under MPs from opposition parties and set a precedent. “Will Modi dare to do that in Rafale scam? Those who talked about ending corruption are themselves adopting such practices. If you call yourself a Chowkidaar, how did scamsters like Nirav Modi, Vijay Mallya, Mehul Choksi and others fled the country?” he said.

Denying credit given to Modi for bringing back IAF pilot Abhinandan Varthaman, who was captured by the Pakistani forces after his MIG plane crashed there, Pawar said he was released due to global pressure and not due to Modi’s 56 inches chest. “If you take pride in your chest, why you can’t bring Kulbhushan, who is a Maharashtra citizen, back to India from Pakistan?” he said.

Taking potshots at the NDA government, Wasnik asked it to come clear on benefits of demonetisation as claimed by its leaders.

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