In a press conference held in Pune on Saturday, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar criticized the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government, accusing it of exceeding the limits of power misuse. Pawar’s comments were prompted by recent actions taken by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), including the arrest of former Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren and the summoning of Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal.
Pawar expressed his concern over what he sees as a pattern of power misuse by the Modi government, stating, “Misuse of power has become the policy of BJP. The Modi government is setting an example of how power can be misused to rule the country.” He specifically highlighted the arrest of Hemant Soren, an Adivasi leader, in the tribal-dominated state of Jharkhand, and the summoning of Arvind Kejriwal, whose governance in Delhi is often praised.
The veteran politician further emphasized the need for opposition parties to create public awareness against the alleged misuse of power by the central government. “Some misuse of power was seen in the past, but this government has crossed all the limits,” Pawar remarked.
Addressing recent political developments within the opposition, Pawar termed Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar’s exit from the INDIA bloc as “unfortunate.” He cited Nitish Kumar’s active participation in organizing the INDIA bloc’s meeting in Patna and his subsequent decision to join the NDA, expressing belief that the people of Bihar would disapprove of this move in the upcoming elections.
Comparing Nitish Kumar’s decision to that of West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee, who distanced herself from the INDIA bloc, Pawar remarked, “Mamata has declared that she will be with the alliance post-election,” implying a different approach from Kumar’s abrupt shift.
As the political landscape continues to evolve, Pawar’s criticism adds to the ongoing debate on the exercise of power and the dynamics within the opposition alliances.
