The Hindu : National : Amar Singh refutes Pawar’s charges

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Amar Singh refutes Pawar’s charges

Mumbai: Samajawadi Party leader Amar Singh on Friday criticised Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar for holding him responsible for the recent violent incidents in Mumbai in the aftermath of Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray’s remarks against north Indians.

No representation

“Mr. Pawar should not compare my party with the MNS...it has no representation at the national level. The SP has 57 members in Parliament which is many times more than Mr. Pawar’s Nationalist Congress Party (NCP),” Mr. Singh told reporters.

“I am a small man in front of Mr. Pawar but our party never compromises with Opposition parties for the sake of power,” Mr. Singh said. “Mr. Pawar has said that I am unemployed and that is why I am inciting people,” he said. “I am unemployed because I don’t have any business partners like Vijay Mallya. Neither do I have a sugar lobby nor do I own a newspaper,” he said.

Mr. Pawar was doing ‘very well’ on the cricket front, compared to his role as the Agriculture Minister, Mr. Singh said.

League cricket

“Mr. Pawar is doing best for Indian Premier League cricket. Big names like Mukesh Ambani, Shahrukh Khan are with him. But he has failed to tackle the issue of farmers’ suicides despite being the Agriculture Minister,” he said.

Mr. Singh announced a fund of Rs. 20 lakh to help suffered in the recent Mumbai violent incidents.— PTI

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