Manas Dasgupta
NEW DELHI, July 17: Speculations are rife over the veteran politician and the Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar meeting the Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the latter’s residence in New Delhi on Saturday two days before the monsoon session of Parliament beginning from Monday.
The NCP, however, refused to attach much of political significance to the development pointing out that it was nothing unusual for a senior leader like Pawar calling on the prime minister of the country to discuss issues of national importance. Pawar had also after the meeting in a brief tweet said, “Met the Hon. Prime Minister of our country Shri Narendra Modi. Had a discussion on various issues of national interest.”
Information about the meeting was first made public by the prime minister’s office which read, “Rajya Sabha MP Shri Sharad Pawar met PM Narendra Modi.” It also released a photo of the two leaders. The meeting between the two lasted for about 50 minutes, it said. It comes as a time when there are reports of strain in Maha Vikas Aghadi government led by Shiv Sena in Maharashtra of which NCP is a key constituent.
The meeting comes amid speculations that Pawar will be the Opposition’s candidate for the President’s post, election for which is due next year. The speculations started after Pawar’s two rounds of meetings with the poll strategist Prashant Kishor who later also called on several other opposition leaders including the Congress. Pawar, however, has dismissed such speculations with his party saying that the result for someone contesting against the candidate of a party which has overwhelming numbers in Parliament will be a foregone conclusion.
Pawar’s meeting with Modi was believed to be mainly on the issue of functioning of the co-operative department at the centre which has now been allocated to the home minister Amit Shah during the recent expansion and reshuffling of the portfolios last week. Pawar also wrote a letter to the Prime Minister detailing problems with the newly formed ministry of co-operation.
NCP spokesperson and senior leader Majeed Memon said unnecessary and baseless yarns are being woven about Pawar-Modi meeting. The meeting he said should not be viewed from the political perspective alone.
Memon said, “I do not understand why eyebrows are being raised about today’s meeting. A leader of Pawar’s stature has many issues to discuss and resolve. Should he not meet the Prime Minister of India, just because he happens to be on the other side of the political fence?” Memon added that Pawar raised various issues from the new Ministry of Cooperation, farmer’s agitation, Maratha reservation and so on.
Pawar’s letter to AModi, also dated today, flagging concerns about amendment in the Banking Regulation Act that seeks to bring in changes in the functioning of the “Co-operative Banks”. The letter points out to the Constitutional provisions which clearly lay out that the co-operative societies come solely under the purview of the state governments.
To reinforce his argument Pawar’s letter also quoted previous Supreme Court judgements on the matter. The amendments he said were in conflict with the provisions of the State Co-operative Societies Act. He said cooperative banking sector was a state subject. Citing Supreme Court judgments, he said any attempt of interference by the centre will be a breach of the Constitution.
“I firmly state that the Amended Act does little to promote the well-being and growth of the co-operative sector as envisaged by the government,” Pawar wrote. Growth of the Co-operative sector, he said is crucial for the holistic development of the country. It is also attuned with Modi’s own call for “atmanirbhar bharat” since the Co-operative Banks have the expertise of lending to the first time borrowers and contribute more than 23 per cent of their total advances to Small and Micro Industries.
“This meeting was due for many days and a time was found today. A leader from Maharashtra meeting the Prime Minister has nothing to do with anything else… We expect that the PM will consider all requests of the banking sector,” NCP leader and Maharashtra minister Nawab Malik said.
Earlier this week, the Rajya Sabha member had commented on the formation of the new Ministry of Cooperation a day before the mega reshuffle of PM Modi’s cabinet. He said laws for the cooperation sector had been framed in the Maharashtra assembly and that the centre has no right to interfere with legislation drafted by the state.
Pawar was also part of a meeting held by newly-appointed leader of Rajya Sabha and Union Minister Piyush Goyal on Friday. The former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and senior Congress leader Anand Sharma, too, attended it. An all-party meeting is scheduled to be held on Sunday, a day before the start of the monsoon session.
