Amid reservations by the top leaders of the Opposition's I.N.D.I.A bloc, NCP supremo Sharad Pawar shared stage with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Pune on Tuesday where the latter was conferred with the coveted national award in memory of Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak, the revolutionary freedom fighter and nationalist.
Veteran Congressman and former Union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde too was on the stage.
Pawar took a diplomatic stance by not only attending the event which he had committed before the I.N.D.I.A bloc was formed, but also by ensuring respect for Lokmanya Tilak and shared dias with Modi a month after BJP split the 25-year-old NCP’s ranks and files thus showing an example how personal relationship extends beyond politics.
Pawar’s presence at the Pune event with Modi has caused concerns about the nationwide Opposition unity meant to take on the BJP and its allies - and many of the top leaders including those from Congress had flagged the issue.
The Pune-based Tilak Smarak Trust (Hind Swaraj Sangh) conferred the Lokmanya Tilak National Award upon PM Modi on August 1, the 103rd death anniversary of Lokmanya Tilak, considered the Father of Indian Unrest.
Tilak (23 July 1856 – 1 August 1920) was among the Lal-Bal-Pal triumvirate nationalists.
The Trust’s Chairperson Deepak Tilak, great-grandson of Lokmanya Tilak and Vice Chancellor of Tilak Maharashtra Vidyapeeth, presented the award to Modi in presence of family members and top Maharashtra politicians at the event presided over by Pawar, a former time former Chief Minister and three-time union minister.
Maharashtra Governor Ramesh Bais, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Deputy Chief Ministers Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar were present in the dais along with members of the Tilak family - Trust Vice President Rohit Tilak, Trustee Geetali Mone-Tilak and Trustee Praniti Tilak.
Incidentally, this was also the first time that the Pawar uncle-nephew duo were seen on one stage after the July 2 rebellion in the NCP during which a major chunk of the MLAs sided with the junior Pawar who switched to the NDA camp.
At the function Pawar and Modi exchanged pleasantries, however, they did not speak much about each other in their respective speeches.
“I congratulate Modi for receiving the award,” Pawar said.
In his address Pawar, dwelled on the history and importance of Pune and the contribution of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and Tilak.
Pawar said the first surgical strike in India was during Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s period.
Reacting to the Modi-Pawar event in Pune, NCP national spokesperson Clyde Castro said: “My respect for Sharad Pawar Saheb has risen manyfolds today because he kept his promise to organizers of and as a mark of respect to Lokmanya Tilak, attended the function despite having to share stage with people responsible for breaking our party.”
Speaking at the function, Pawar further said: “Lokmanya Tilak wanted to get complete freedom for the country and he spent his early days in Pune. To be independent from the British, Tilak knew he needed to unite the masses. He became a journalist and then had Kesari and Maratha weekly newspapers and fought against the British. Tilak used to say there shouldn't be any pressure on journalism and journalists shouldn't be pressured.”
““Lokmanya Tilak ji is the ‘tilak’ of India’s freedom struggle”….Tilak changed the course of the freedom struggle. The British call him the Father of Indian Unrest,
“India climbed the ladder of progress under the supreme leadership of the prime minister under the concept of Aatmanirbhar Bharat. Modi awakened the feeling of patriotism among citizens and put India on the global map. Considering his perseverance and efforts, and highlighting his work, the trustees of the Tilak Smarak Mandir Trust have unanimously selected him for this award,” the citation of the award states.
The Prime Minister donated the cash prize of Rs 1 lakh to the Namami Gange Project.
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