Sharad Pawar leader of corruption, says Shah; takes ‘Aurangzeb fan club’ jibe at Uddhav

Pune: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday mounted a scathing attack on opposition stalwart and NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar and dubbed him the leader of corruption in the country.

Addressing the BJP’s state convention in Pune, he also slammed Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for displaying arrogance despite loss in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls and called Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray the head of the Aurangzeb fan club who was sitting with people that sought clemency for 1993 Mumbai serial blasts convict Yakub Memon.

He said the BJP-led Mahayuti will do better in the Maharashtra Assembly polls than what the party did in the 2014 and 2019 editions.

“Sharad Pawar institutionalised corruption,” the senior BJP leader said in Pune.

Attacking the Shiv Sena (UBT) chief, Shah said, “Uddhav Thackeray is sitting with those who sought clemency for 1993 Mumbai serial blasts convict Yakub Memon.”

“Who is the Aurangzeb fan club? Those who serve biryani to (26/11 terror attack convict) Kasab, those who seek clemency for Yakub Memon, those who give (controversial Islamic preacher) Zakir Naik a messenger of peace award and those who support the (banned Islamist outfit) PFI. Uddhav Thackeray should be ashamed of sitting with these people,” Shah asserted. Meanwhile, the NCP (SP) on Sunday hit back at Union Home Minister Amit Shah for terming Sharad Pawar as the “sargana” (ringleader) of corruption, saying it is the BJP which has “legitimised” corruption by incorporating tainted leaders in the saffron fold.

“They accuse political leaders of corruption, and then once those who they accuse join BJP, they are all given a clean chit. This is the BJP’s washing machine process of legitimising corruption,” NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) national spokesperson Clyde Crasto stated.