Mumbai: As preparations for the Ram Lalla installation ceremony at the Ayodhya Ram Mandir reach fever pitch, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar has launched a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Pawar's ire was aimed at Modi's planned 11-day "special rituals, fasting, and penance" ahead of the Ayodhya ceremony. "I respect the Ram Mandir event," Pawar stated, "but will the government take up such rituals to eradicate poverty? Modi is fasting for 10 days. Will he also fast to end the hunger pangs of the people?"
He further challenged the BJP and RSS's motivations, stating, "We hold reverence for Shri Ram and Hanuman in Ayodhya. The decision to build the Ram Mandir after the Babri Masjid demolition was made during Rajiv Gandhi's time. He laid the foundation stone. While the Ram Mandir work remained sidelined, the BJP and RSS are now exploiting it for political gain."
Pawar's criticism extended beyond the religious sphere, targeting the government's economic policies and agricultural plight. "This government has no care for farmers. Industrialists' loans are waived off, but not farmers'. Wrong economic policies are being implemented. Those responsible for such policies must be removed," he asserted.
He also drew inspiration from the recent Karnataka election results, stating, "The Karnataka outcome bolsters the opposition's confidence. Attempts are being made to divert people's attention using religious issues.