If the Opposition comes up with a “credible” alternative ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, people may consider it, said NCP president Sharad Pawar on Tuesday, stressing that the decision on the new Parliament building could have been taken through dialogue with political parties.
The senior NCP leader was speaking in a ‘Sauhard Baithak’ (meeting to foster amity) at Mahatma Gandhi Mission University in Maharashtra’s Aurangabad.
Speaking about next year’s general elections, he said, “My concern is if people will have the same approach for the (2024) Lok Sabha elections as they have for States (Assembly polls). If the Opposition unites and offers a credible alternative, people may consider it. If the Opposition doesn’t move wisely, it can’t expect people to think of a different choice on their own.”
Many Opposition parties, including the Congress and JD(U), are trying to forge unity ahead of next year’s Lok Sabha polls. The NCP leader said rulers and administrators should work with the thinking that “everyone is ours” and deliver the message effectively. “Else, wrong things will happen. In the recent period, such things are happening in many places,” Pawar said. He also expressed concerns over attacks on Muslims and Christians.
“The picture in the country today makes me worry about Muslims and Christians. In many States, churches are being attacked. Christians are peaceful and they never take an extreme stand,” he said. If someone decides to embrace a different religion, it is a personal call. “But some people attack their entire community. Mistakes can be made by both Muslims as well as Hindus. In our country the number of Muslims who are backward cannot be neglected,” Pawar said. A section can’t be ignored if society has to be taken on the path of development. “Though the common public thinks positively about Muslims, some people focus on how to grow bitterness and hatred. This is a big challenge for our country,” he said.
The senior NCP leader rued that there has been a general decline in engaging in dialogue for parliamentary activities. Earlier too, he said, political parties had differences but they tried to resolve them through dialogue. “I didn’t understand why there was a need for a new Parliament building. The decision about it could have been taken through dialogue (with political parties). But I learnt about the new building through newspapers,” he said.