Curated By: Saurabh Verma
Last Updated: October 18, 2023, 22:20 IST
Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar’s remark on the Israel-Palestine conflict has snowballed into a controversy with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) attacking the former union minister for his stand.
Assam CM and BJP leader Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday said he thinks Pawar will send his daughter and Lok Sabha MP Supriya Sule to Gaza to fight for Palestine-based terror group Hamas.
“I think Sharad Pawar will send Supriya (Sule) to Gaza to fight for the Hamas,” the CM told ANI.
#WATCH | Delhi: On NCP chief Sharad Pawar’s reported statement regarding India’s stance on the Israel-Palestine conflict, Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma says, “I think Sharad Pawar will send Supriya (Sule) to Gaza to fight for the Hamas.” pic.twitter.com/JrTWwIOM9T— ANI (@ANI) October 18, 2023
Pawar, who served as India’s defence minister from 1991 to 1993 under Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao, has said he did not believe that the Indian government had sided 100 per cent with Israel amid its war with Hamas.
Earlier, Union Minister Piyush Goyal said the veteran leader has a “casual view” on issues relating to terror and asserted that “this rotten mindset has to stop”.
In a post on X, formerly X, the Union Minister said it is very disturbing when a senior leader like Sharad Pawar makes “preposterous” statements on India’s stand on a terror attack in Israel.
Union Minister Nitin Gadkari also “deplored” Pawar’s irresponsible statement. He said that the gravity of the situation necessitates a unified front against terrorism, irrespective of political affiliations or personal opinions.
The former Maharashtra chief minister said the Israel-Palestine issue is “serious and sensitive”, and views of Muslim countries like Afghanistan, United Arab Emirates and other nations cannot be ignored.
On October 8, a day after Hamas launched its incursions, Prime Minister Modi expressed solidarity with Israel and condemned “terrorist” attacks.
“Deeply shocked by the news of terrorist attacks in Israel. Our thoughts and prayers are with the innocent victims and their families. We stand in solidarity with Israel at this difficult hour,” Modi said.
On October 10, Modi told his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu that the people of India stand firmly with his country, expressing strong and unequivocal condemnation of terrorism in all its forms.
The MEA has described the strikes by Hamas on Israeli cities as “terror attacks” but also reaffirmed India’s long-standing position, advocating negotiations towards establishing a “sovereign, independent and viable” state of Palestine living side-by-side at peace with Israel.
(With PTI inputs)
