NCP chief Sharad Pawar, who has been below hearth from the Brahmin neighborhood over sure feedback made by him in addition to different social gathering leaders, will maintain an interplay with some Brahmin organizations on the Nisarg Mangal Karyalaya in Pune on Saturday night. Party leaders mentioned Pawar will attempt to assuage the neighborhood’s “hurt sentiments” in the course of the assembly.
The ‘objectionable’ feedback
The Brahmin neighborhood, which constitutes about 2-3% of Maharashtra’s inhabitants, has been elevating objections to sure current feedback made by Pawar and his social gathering leaders. The feedback which allegedly damage the neighborhood embrace these like: “Swami Samarth was not the guru of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj” and that “It was because of information provided by Babasaheb Purandare that Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj was defamed.”
Statements which inspired use of Phule pagdi as an alternative of Peshwe pagdi and the remark that Hindutva organizations had a hand within the Bhima-Koregaon violence too irked many, apart from the comment: “Earlier, Chhatrapati used to nominate Peshwe… Now Peshwes are nominating a Chhatrapati. ” The last straw came earlier this month after Pawar read out a poem by Jawahar Rathod where he spoke about “divine energy” and the prevalence of 1 neighborhood over God.
Besides Sharad Pawar, NCP leaders like Amol Mitkari and Chhagan Bhujbal have additionally drawn the ire of the Brahmin neighborhood. At a public rally of the NCP in Kolhapur, the place prime social gathering leaders have been current, Mitkari took potshots on the “pujas” carried out by a Brahmin priest throughout marriage ceremonies, whereas Bhujbal made “disparaging” remarks towards “purohits” saying they made cash out of priesthood.
The assembly’s goal
NCP leaders mentioned the initiative for the assembly was taken by a Brahmin organisation. “The organization wanted to meet our party chief and raise certain points… Our party chief then suggested that instead of meeting one organisation, he would meet several of those from Pune,” mentioned NCP spokesperson Ankush Kakade.
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NCP leaders mentioned because the Brahmin neighborhood appeared to be objecting to sure feedback, the social gathering thought it match to handle their grievances. “Pawar has all his life backed all communities. He has himself by no means made any derogatory remark towards anybody. In reality, he has had a number of Brahmin associates since his childhood and school days. However, it have to be talked about that Pawar has expressed his views on sure acts and feedback of people however by no means towards the neighborhood. All his feedback are primarily based on details and proof. That is why the social gathering has determined to carry the assembly,” an NCP chief mentioned.
Citing the case of Pawar’s assertion that Swami Samarth was not Chhatrapati Shivaji’s guru, an NCP chief mentioned, “This is once more primarily based on the judgment of the Aurangabad bench of the Bombay High Court which had clearly acknowledged that there was no materials to indicate that the 2 had ever met. At the identical time, Pawar had not mentioned a phrase towards Swami Samarth. And he won’t ever. He has respect for every one,” the chief mentioned.
Brahmins to boycott
Key Brahmin organizations just like the Brahaman Mahasangh and Parshuram Seva Sangh have determined to boycott Saturday’s assembly. “Whenever leaders of the NCP say objectionable things against the Brahmin community, the NCP chief never takes action against them or asks them to apologise. If he doesn’t want to listen to us, then why should we meet him,” requested Anand Dave who heads the Brahman Mahasangh.
“We will boycott the conferences or interactions till Pawar and NCP leaders mend their methods. It can not proceed like this. The NCP is making an attempt to create and widen the rift between totally different communities. The Brahmin neighborhood is particularly damage badly by the way in which it’s being focused for no rhyme or purpose,” he mentioned.
“Though 20,000 acres of land belonging to the community in Maharashtra has been usurped, Pawar has done nothing to help the community. We filed 16 police complaints against Amol Mitkari for his derogatory remarks against the community, but the NCP has ensured that the police will take no action against him,” mentioned Vishwajit Desphande of the Parshuram Seva Sangh.
Deshpande mentioned Pawar ought to ask Mitkari to apologise. “We do not want the NCP chief to apologise. He can direct his party leaders to tender an apology to the Brahmin community so that in future we can hold any interaction,” he mentioned.
NCP agency on assembly
Though some Brahmin organizations will keep away from Pawar’s assembly, the NCP is assured that others will attend. “It is sad that a couple of organizations have decided to boycott the meeting. But we are still hoping that close to 10 organizations will attend the meeting. It will be a closed-door affair, the press will not be allowed inside,” mentioned Kakade.
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With inputs from TheIndianEXPRESS
