After vociferous protests and severe flak from various quarters, a chastened BJP MLC Sadabhau Khot on Thursday expressed regret and withdrew his scurrilous remarks against NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar.
Khot’s regret came a day after he spoke about Pawar’s illness and surgeries that the latter had undergone in the past, in the presence of deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis at an election rally.
“Sharad Pawar says he wants to change the face of Maharashtra… Does he want to make Maharashtra look like his own face?,” Khot had asked, while speaking at an election rally.
Khot’s remarks against Sr Pawar had triggered public uproar so much so that NCP (SP) supporters staged protests against Khot and BJP in Pune and other places, demanding an unconditional apology from him.
Coming down heavily on Khot for his remarks against the NCP (SP) chief, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut dubbed the BJP MLC as a ‘poodle of Fadnavis’.
“The people of Maharashtra are watching everything and will teach the BJP an appropriate lesson for the insults heaped on a senior leader like Sharad Pawar whom even Prime Minister Narendra Modi considers a ‘mentor’,” Raut said.
Taking serious exception to Khot’s statement, State NCP chief Jayant Patil said that the BJP MLC’s remarks reflected the ‘crooked mentality’ of the BJP-MahaYuti leaders
Not to be outdone, even NCP (AP) chief and deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar – whose party is a constituent in the ruling MahaYuti – condemned Khot’s remarks against the NCP (SP) chief which “were not in line with Maharashtra’s culture”.
Ajitdada, as Ajit Pawar is known in the state political circles, called up Khot and gave his peace of mind.
He warned Khot to be careful about the choice of his words and not to indulge in “below-the-belt” criticism against anyone..
“We have been taught by Maharashtra’s first chief minister late Y B Chavan not to use uncivilised language against political rivals. You may make allegations and counter-allegations, but not indulge in personal attack like Khot has done.
I told him that his remarks are unacceptable and it is wrong to make such personal attacks against a senior leader like Pawarsaheb,” Ajitdada said.
Later, talking to media persons, an embarrassed Khot said: “I regret having made such remarks.
I am withdrawing my remarks, and this will never happen again in future”.
