'Sharad Pawar's Parrot': BJP's Gopichand Padalkar Slams Saamana Editorial With Sant Tukaram Couplet

The editorial in Shiv Sena (UBT) mouthpiece Saamana on the two-day meeting of opposition alliance INDIA in Mumbai has triggered a war of words, with BJP’s MLC Gopichand Padalkar hitting out at the MVA.

The editorial strongly condemned the special session convened by the Union government from September 18 as it coincides with the popular Ganesh festival in Maharashtra. It also talked about the Narendra Modi government being afraid of the INDIA alliance.

However, drawing an analogy with a donkey and a dog, Padalkar posted on X, previously Twitter, that it is difficult for anyone to be out of character. Finding fault with the editorial, he said it had been penned by NCP supremo Sharad Pawar’s ‘parrot’. To draw home his point, Padalkar also posted a couplet by Sant Tukaram.

The editorial said: “INDIA alliance’s war is against authoritarian tendencies. All warriors have entered the fray. This battle is to save the country and the Constitution of the country. It was Mumbai that gave the order to the British to ‘go away’, ‘leave India’. From the same Mumbai, the INDIA alliance has taken the challenge to end the dictatorship. INDIA will win and keep the country intact and it will be win of democracy.”

It added: “Even if four donkeys graze together, the dictator sweats profusely. He thinks that they are plotting against him and overthrowing the government. Here in Mumbai, 28 major political parties and their veteran leaders gathered together for two days and demanded to overthrow the dictatorial regime in the country. So the Modi government will fear the INDIA alliance.

“In the pre-Independence period, there was a section that believed that the British rule was a gift from God. All bad things in this country will be destroyed and a rule of law and social reform will be created here under British era but it was not true and all know what happened later as the company, which had come with the aim of trade, later ruled the entire country. But on the platform of INDIA, Mamata Banerjee and Left parties, who are arch rivals of each other, have also come keeping their difference aside.”

The editorial further suggested that “INDIA alliance should give a national programme to its partners and instead of conducting meetings, action should be taken on ground”. “The issue of seat sharing must be resolved by taking the views of all stake holders into account.”