At an event following the unveiling of murdered Leftist leader Govind Pansare’s memorial in Kolhapur, senior Indian politician Sharad Pawar delivered a stirring address regarding the state of democracy in India. Pawar, the founder of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), critiqued the theatrical gestures of the prime minister and called out the mistreatment of power and the suppression of free speech, which he views as an affront to the nation’s fundamental rights. With a critical eye on the current governmental tactics, he decried the attempts to silence free voice, restrict free writing, and block news channels, which he sees as indicative of the ruling party’s disregard for progressive values.
Pawar highlighted the plight of leaders like the former chief minister of Jharkhand Hemant Soren and Delhi’s CM Arvind Kejriwal, who have faced legal adversity. He pointed out the irregular use of central agencies such as the Enforcement Directorate, suggesting such bodies are weaponized against political dissidents. Going beyond election campaigning, Pawar urged the collective strength of like-minded progressive forces to stand against the prevailing regressive tendencies. By recalling the tragic murders of rationalist Narendra Dabholkar and scholar MM Kalburgi, he emphasized the need for an ideological battle to combat those who take the law into their own hands.
Sharad Pawar’s poignant oratory also touched upon national loyalty, reflecting back to the time when he defended Prime Minister Modi against derogatory remarks made by Maldivian officials. A member of the INDIA bloc, an opposition alliance, Pawar has been a vocal advocate for cohesive opposition against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. His speech was underpinned by a sense of urgency to protect India’s democratic essence from what he perceives as a tide of communal forces that threaten the nation’s ideological integrity.