Ajit Pawar skips RSS founder Hedgewar’s memorial visit in Nagpur
As BJP and Shiv Sena leaders pay tributes in Nagpur during Maharashtra legislature’s winter session, NCP says its ideology is rooted in Shahu, Phule and Ambedkar, not RSS traditions
Even as Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar stayed away from a visit to RSS founder KB Hedgewar’s memorial in Nagpur on Sunday (December 14), his party, the NCP, maintained that it had joined the Mahayuti alliance in the interest of the state’s development.
The National Congress Party's ideology is based on the "progressive thoughts of (social reformers) Shahu, Phule and Ambedkar," NCP spokesperson Anand Paranjpe said, noting that it was not the first time that Pawar skipped the visit to Hedgewar's memorial.
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While Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy CM Eknath Shinde and ruling BJP, Shiv Sena legislators visited Hedgewar’s memorial and paid tributes to him on Sunday (December 14) morning, Pawar and other NCP leaders skipped the event.
Not the first time
The winter session of the Maharashtra legislature is currently underway in Nagpur. BJP ministers and MLAs visit the memorial of Hedgewar and the second Sanghchalak, MS Golwalkar, at the Smruti Mandir in Reshimbagh every year during the winter session.
Last year, MLAs Raju Karemore and Rajkumar Badole were the only representatives of the Ajit Pawar-led NCP, which has 41 legislators in the Assembly, at the Smruti Mandir.
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NCP spokesperson Paranjape said it was not the first time that Pawar skipped a visit to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) founder's memorial. "We stick to our principles and our focus is development of the state," he asserted.
Congress slams RSS
Sachin Sawant, spokesperson of the Opposition Congress, claimed the NCP has been hearing the "ideology" of RSS in cabinet meetings and unless Pawar's party agrees with it, they wouldn't be in power. In a post on X, Sawant criticised the RSS, alleging that it promotes ideologies that undermine democracy and the Constitution.
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Referring to Shinde and Shiv Sena legislators visiting Hedgewar's memorial, he charged that their focus is on "how to gain power through money distribution and destroy constitutional democracy." Despite being in existence for over 100 years, the RSS failed to clearly define what Hindutva stands for, the Congress leader claimed.
"At least now, they should clarify what Hindutva really means," he said. Sawant also alleged that RSS deliberations were less about intellectual debate and more about spreading divisive narratives in society.