Pawar downplays abuse by Congress leader

Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar on Thursday sought to downplay the abuses hurled against him by Congress leader Satyavrat Chaturvedi, saying he treated the matter as a closed chapter.

"There is no need to speak anything more on this matter. I think there is no need to give much importance to the matter. The Congress party has taken a decision on this as the remarks were not in good taste. For me the chapter is closed," said the agriculture minister.

Chaturvedi was dropped from the post of Congress spokesman for his objectionable remarks against Pawar, in the context of price rise, to a TV channel three days ago.

Chaturvedi is also a permanent invitee of the Congress Working Committee and in-charge of the training cell of the party, and he continues to discharge these responsibilities..