Devendra Fadnavis slams Sharad Pawar over his remarks on Israel-Palestine issue

Maharashtra deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday targeted NCP chief Sharad Pawar, saying that he should strongly condemn terrorism and shun vote-bank politics while talking about the Israel-Palestine issue.

Fadnavis's appeal to Pawar

Pawar, a former defence minister, had said earlier this week that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's statements on the Hamas-Israel war seemed to convey a different position from the one articulated by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). In a post on social media platform X, Fadnavis said, "My request to Sharad Pawar ji is not to think about vote-bank politics, but strongly condemn terrorism.

India's consistent stand

"India has never changed its position on the Israel-Palestine dispute. However, at the same time, India has been consistently against and has always strongly opposed terrorism in any form and against anyone. When the entire world has condemned the killing of innocent people in Israel and India did the same, Shri Sharad Pawar ji should also speak in the same language against terrorism,” he said.

Fadnavis invokes Mumbai terror attacks

Fadnavis also invoked past terror attacks in Mumbai. "Mumbai has suffered a lot due to the terror attacks. Especially during the 26/11, Mumbai had lost many citizens,” he said.

Modi's solidarity with Israel

A day after Hamas launched its incursions, Prime Minister Modi had expressed solidarity with Israel and condemned the terrorist attacks. Later, the MEA described the strikes by Hamas on Israeli cities as terror attacks, but also reaffirmed India's long-standing position, advocating negotiations towards establishing a sovereign, independent and viable state of Palestine living side-by-side at peace with Israel.

Fadnavis's attack on Pawar comes at a time when the two leaders are engaged in a bitter political battle in Maharashtra. The NCP is a key constituent of the ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) coalition government in the state, while the BJP is the main opposition party.