The so-called ‘Chanakya’ of the Indian polity, Sharad Pawar was caught off guard in a press-conference as the NCP supremo dearly missed the Marathi journalists he has carefully nurtured over the years. Upon being asked tough questions on the Vazegate scandal by the national media, the politician attempted to lie his way out, however, he failed miserably. In a rare sight, a visibly rattled Sharad Pawar did a press conference trying to save Anil Deshmukh, however, ended up causing more harm to the Maha Vikas Aghadi.
During the press conference, Pawar while launching a passionate defence of Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh, claimed that Deshmukh from 5-15 February was admitted to a hospital in Nagpur due to the Wuhan coronavirus.
The power of social media and live fact-checking. Kudos to the journos who refused to let him get away! pic.twitter.com/I32xXWGYZF
— Ajit Datta (@ajitdatta) March 22, 2021
Pawar said, “Alexis Hospital in Nagpur has issued a certificate stating that he was undergoing treatment for Coronavirus from February 5-15. He was discharged on February 15. Thereafter, he was advised home quarantine till February 27.”
He added, “If he (Param Bir) had knowledge of wrongdoings in February, why did he wait till the second week of March to notify the chief minister, deputy chief minister about the charges. Vague allegations are being made. There (Param Bir’s letter) was an attempt to derail the investigation. The truth is now emerging.”
However, contrary to Pawar’s claims, Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh had addressed a press conference on 15th February — the day on which Deshmukh was supposed to be in home quarantine according to the NCP supremo.
Deshmukh was addressing the 15th February conference to clarify his remarks on tweets by celebrities who defended India against foreign intervention in the farmers’ protests.
For the uninitiated, after being unceremoniously shunted out of office by Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh, Param Bir Singh has waged a war against the Maha Vikas Aghadi as in an explosive letter to Uddhav Thackeray, Singh alleged that Deshmukh directed tainted and suspended cop Sachin Vaze to collect close to Rs.100 crore rupees for him every month. This has reignited the fears that the dreaded ‘hafta vasooli’ culture has made a grand comeback in Maharashtra, and seems to be flourishing under the rule of the NCP-Congress-Shiv Sena combine. Singh’s allegations are serious – a fact seconded by NCP supremo Sharad Pawar. While Param Bir Singh officially reported to Anil Deshmukh, CM Uddhav Thackeray should have ideally been aware of such a massive scale of extortion taking place under his leadership and government.
Param Bir Singh has now knocked on the doors of the Supreme Court to probe the allegations made by him against Anil Deshmukh. However, the recent episode where Sharad Pawar was caught off guard by the journalists, further puts the MVA government of Maharashtra in doubts.