Every party should respect judiciary: Sharad Pawar

Disapproving Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) leader Raj Thackeray’s fiery reaction to the Bombay high court decision’s denying him permission to hold rally at Shivaji Park in Mumbai, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar on Saturday underlined the need to maintain the dignity of judiciary.

However, the Union agriculture minister also disagreed with the telecom minister Kapil Sibal’s reported remark that the opposition should apologise for making politically motivated charges against home minister P Chidambaram, saying there was no need for such an apology.

Speaking to the media in Pune, Pawar said, “If anybody has reservations against the court’s decision, an appeal can be moved in the higher court but the dignity of judiciary must be maintained and public remarks should not be passed against the judiciary.”

Reacting to the decision of granting permission to the Shiv Sena to hold its Dassera rally at Shivaji Park, Pawar said, “Sena has the tradition of holding this rally at this venue and, therefore, it was permitted. It would be petty-mindedness to oppose it.”  He said the special CBI court’s decision of dismissing Janata Party president Subramanian Swamy’s plea to make Chidambaram an accused in the 2G case has come as a relief for the UPA. However, he said there was no need for the opposition to apologise for making charges against Chidambaram.

Pawar said, “There was anxiety about the entire episode as Chidambaram’s image was at stake. However, the issue will go on for a long time and there would be appeals.”

Reacting to Sibal’s reported demand that now when Swamy’s plea has been rejected by the court, the opposition should apologise, Pawar said, “There is no need for such an apology. The opposition was within the legal framework in moving the court against what it felt was the misuse of power and it would not be proper to insist that it should apologise.”

Pawar also emphasised the need for politicians and policy makers to take into account the rapid urbanisation and increasing number of migrants while planning development. He said, “Some 30 lakh migrants live in cities like Mumbai, Thane, Pune and Nashik. These factors must be considered while planning development and providing infrastructure.”

Denying that NCP was engineering defection of Shiv Sena MP Anand Paranjape, Pawar said, “Paranjape is still very much with Sena. There were some issues which he felt should be addressed by politicians across the party lines. Hence, he turned up in the NCP office and such visits often happen.”