Baramati (Maharashtra): Responding to his estranged cousin and NCP (SP) MP Supriya Sule’s jibe that even the milkman also wakes up early, the NCP National President and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar said on Monday that he had never said that the milkman wakes up in the afternoon, noting that he will continue to focus on development instead of engaging in a war of words.
“I am well aware of obstacles, even though I am not an engineer. So, I go early in the morning to see ongoing works. I went in the morning and visited the Rajkot Fort where Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s statue collapsed. I will focus on development and the party members should also avoid replying to the criticism in politics,” said Pawar during his speech in the rally organised at Baramati to promote the Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana.
Two days ago at the NCP (SP) rally, Sule had criticised Ajit Pawar without naming him directly for his repeated statements that he wakes up early and gets on to work.
“Everyone is doing hard work, no one is doing favours to anyone. Some people repeatedly say that they wake up early in the morning. The milkman also gets up early. What time you wake up is your wife’s problem. Because she has to make tea. Has NCP (SP) Chief Sharad Pawar ever made such a speech till date?” she asked while targeting her estranged cousin Ajit Pawar.
However, Pawar today strongly defended his habit of waking up early and starting the day’s work.
“We should avoid political criticism and talk only about development. Some people talk, let them talk, do you get holes in your body because of talking?” he asked.
He also asked the Baramatikars not to give importance to such criticism but to focus on development.
Pawar counted a host of developmental works that he carried out in Baramati and taunted that “Now all Pawars (including Sharad Pawar, his daughter and MP Supriya Sule and Pawar’s grandnephew Yogendra Pawar) are going house-to-house in Baramati ahead of the state Assembly election”.
Without naming Supriya Sule, he said, “Now some people are saying that Dada is dancing to a different tune in Baramati. Earlier, Pawar did not visit house to house that much. However, now all the Pawars are making a point to conduct house-to-house visits. No one has come in the last 25 to 30 years.”
“Today I got an opportunity in the Cabinet. So a slew of decisions could be taken. A change is happening in Baramati now. There are 288 constituencies in the state. Among them, the highest amount of development funds was given here. I will draw the blueprint for Baramati soon. A cancer hospital is going to be built here and there are many plans to implement,” Pawar added.
“No one should be accused of corruption. If the grand coalition (MahaYuti) government comes again, the ongoing plans will continue forever. How can the people who grew with a golden spoon know the value of Rs 1,500? (a monthly financial aid given to eligible women beneficiaries under the Ladki Bahin scheme),” he asked.
Against the backdrop of the sexual abuse of two four-year-old girls in Badlapur’s reputed school and other such incidents, Pawar said that there had been an increase in the cases of violence against women.
“Baramati has now become a hub of education. Many people come from outside to study here. Therefore, their safety is our responsibility. In Baramati, the police should have respectable authority. Any mischief against girls in Baramati will not be tolerated,” he added.
Pawar asked the police to take stern action against those who indulge in crimes against girls and women irrespective of their party affiliations.
–IANS