Maharashtra deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Tuesday said late Rajiv Gandhi was known as `Mr Clean', and Prime Minister Narendra Modi enjoys the same reputation. Pawar, who split the Nationalist Congress Party and joined the BJP-Shiv Sena government last month, was speaking to reporters in Pune after attending a ceremony where Modi received the Lokmanya Tilak National Award.
People of Pune welcomed Modi by standing on both sides of roads when his convoy was passing, Pawar said.
"I and Devendra ji (deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis) were in the same car in the convoy. We did not see any black flags during Modi's journey to the venue. In fact, we saw that people, standing on both sides of the road, welcomed and greeted him," said Pawar, when pointed out that NCP workers (of the rival faction) staged a protest and showed black flags during the prime minister's visit.
"Any prime minister will think of having a good atmosphere in the country from the law and order point of view. Nobody supported whatever that is happening in Manipur. The prime minister has taken cognizance of the issue. Chief Justice of India too has taken cognizance. Everyone has condemned whatever happened there," said Pawar.
The Centre and the Manipur government are ensuring that the culprits of the incident of May 3 (where two women were paraded naked) are punished, he added. Modi works for 18 hours a day, Pawar said.
"During Diwali, while rest of the country celebrates Diwali at home, he celebrates it with army soldiers on the borders," he said. -- PTI
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