PM Should Have Verified My Comment on Pakistan: Pawar
Prime Minister Narendra Modi should have ascertained his statement about Pakistan before criicising him, NCP chief Sharad Pawar said here on Friday.
Aurangabad (Mah), Sep 20 (PTI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi should have ascertained his statement about Pakistan before criicising him, NCP chief Sharad Pawar said here on Friday.
Modi, at a rally in Nashik ahead of Maharashtra assembly elections on Thursday, had claimed that Pawar, at a recent event, said he liked Pakistan.
The NCP denied the charge, accusing the prime minister of distorting Pawar's statement.
"The prime minister said I have love for our neighboring country....I have been defence minister of this country. The prime minister should have verified my statement before criticizing me," Pawar said.
The NCP chief was addressing a meeting of party workers here.
"I had said that political and military leaders of Pakistan keep making false statements against India to maintain their clout in Pakistani politics. These words do not describe any love for Pakistan," Pawar said.
"I will not criticise Modi further because I do not want to hurt the dignity of prime minister's office," the NCP chief added.
On Thursday, alleging that Congress leaders' comments were being used by other countries and terror outfits against India, Modi said, "I can understand the confusion of the Congress. But Sharad Pawar? I feel bad when an experienced leader like him makes wrong statements for votes.
"He said he likes the neighbouring country. But everyone knows where the terror factory is," the PM had said.
The NCP later released video of Pawar's original remarks, where he had said that political and military establishment of Pakistan spreads hatred against India, but when he visited that country during Indian cricket team's Pakistan tour, he saw people's love for India.
(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)