Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar on Saturday issued a veiled threat to the Narendra Modi government that Indira Gandhi had lost her life for ‘upsetting’ Punjab and hence, the Centre should cautiously handle ongoing so called farmers’ agitation keeping in mind the majority of protesters are from border state.
“India has paid the price of upsetting Punjab. The then prime minister Indira Gandhi lost her life,” former union agriculture minister Sharad Pawar said this while interacting with the media at Pimpri.
#Breaking | ‘Do not upset Punjab kisan. India has paid price already. Ex-PM Indira Gandhi lost her life’, NCP chief #SharadPawar sparks controversy.
— TIMES NOW (@TimesNow) October 16, 2021
‘Extremely appalling comment’, says BJP’s @ramkadam.
Details by Aruneel on @thenewshour Sp Ed with Pranesh Roy | #PawarPunjabCard pic.twitter.com/2bm3yymJFx
“My advice to the Union government is don’t upset farmers of Punjab because this is a border state. Farmers of Punjab are very restless and if you further make them restless and upset farmers and people from border regions then it will have other ramifications also,” he said. Sharad Pawar said that farmers of Punjab, both Sikh and Hindus, are contributing to food production in the country.
The statement has come at a time when farmers’ agitation sites have become epicenter of barbarous killing of innocent civilians drifting to complete anarchy and there appears to be an attempt to revive secessionist Khalistani movement.
To many, his statement sounded that he is defending violence and anarchy in the name of farmers’ protest all these months and there will be serious ramifications — as happened with Indira Gandhi— if the Centre mulls any action.
Former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was assassinated by her two Sikh bodyguards on 31st October 1984 months after Operation Blue Star was carried out to eliminate Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, Khalistani terrorist, who had taken refuge in the Golden Temple, Amritsar. Subsequently, large-scale anti-Sikh riots broke out in India after Congress workers and leaders led mobs unleashing violence on Sikhs.
Few days back a dalit man, Lakhbir Singh, was lynched in Talibani style by Nihang Sikhs during farmers’ protest at Kundli border. Earlier, in Lakhimpur Kheri of Uttar Pradesh similar violence was observed where eight lost their life. Protesters had staged violence and anarchy in Delhi during the Republic Day celebrations earlier this year. Opposition remained silent on such murders and lawlessness and even brazen attempts seem to have been made to defend such unpardonable acts.
Sympathizing with protesters from Punjab, Sharad Pawar said that people living in border areas face several security-related issues and problems. “Such things persons living in states such as Maharashtra do not experience. Hence, when a person who is making sacrifices is holding a protest and sitting for a long time with some demands, paying attention to him is what the nation requires. I have visited this demonstration a couple of times. The stand of Centre on farming laws is not rational,” Sharad Pawar said.
The BJP has condemned the assassination remark stating that Sharad Pawar intentionally made this statement. “This is an extremely appalling statement by senior leader Sharad Pawar and the unfortunate part is that such a big leader like him has intentionally made this statement. This is nothing but a seer attempt to instigate Sikh community and farmers. This is a serious danger to the Prime Minister’s life,” said senior BJP leader Ram Kadam while speaking to Time Now.
Notably, NCP is the part of Uddhav Thackeray led Shiv Sena-Congress-NCP Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government in Maharashtra. Sharad Pawar often alleged the Centre for allegedly misusing central agencies for destabilizing the Maharashtra government on the name of investigation of corruption cases.
