In video msg, Ajit Pawar calls graft charges false

MUMBAI: Deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar described the charges of corruption against him as false and baseless in a video message on Thursday.
“In the recent past, false and baseless allegations were made against me. So far not a single charge has been proved. Even in future, it will not be possible for any one to prove the charge,” the NCP president said.
The video came at a time when there was no major attack on Pawar over corruption. NCP (SP) Supriya Sule said it was for deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis to make his stand clear since he was the first BJP politician to make allegations against Pawar claiming his involvement in an irrigation scam.
In the run-up to the 2014 assembly election, corruption in the irrigation department was the main poll plank of the BJP.
“Not only Fadnavis but even Prime Minister Narendra Modi had made allegations of corruption against Pawar. In such circumstances, it was for Mahayuti, particularly Fadnavis, to speak on the charges of corruption against Pawar. At the time, residential premises of my three sisters were raided by central agencies though they were not even remotely associated with the irrigation dept,” Sule said.
Sule wanted to know if the video message was issued in Pawar’s personal capacity or as the deputy chief minister. “In the video message, the clock party symbol too is seen. However, as per the directions of the Supreme Court, it should have been mentioned that he is using the symbol subject to the outcome of the apex court order,” she said.
At an election rally in Bhopal on June 28, 2023, Modi had referred to the Rs 70,000 crore irrigation scam and Rs 25,000 crore MSC Bank scam. During the relevant period, Ajit Pawar was the irrigation minister. Just days later, Ajit Pawar joined the state govt led by Eknath Shinde om July 2.
In his 10-minute message, Pawar said that in his entire political career he had never changed his political party and always adhered to democratic norms. He listed the measures taken by his govt for the cause of farmers, young entrepreneurs and women.
“We have drafted the Ladki Bahin scheme worth Rs 46,000 crore, waived power bills of 44 lakh farmers,” he said.