No comparison between Nehru and PM Modi: Sharad Pawar

NCP (SP) president Sharad Pawar on Wednesday pushed back against attempts to compare Prime Minister Narendra Modi with India's first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, saying Nehru's role in the freedom movement and nation-building remains unparalleled.

Addressing the 27th foundation day celebrations of his party in Mumbai, Pawar acknowledged Modi's tenure as the country's longest-serving prime minister but insisted that Nehru occupied a unique place in India's history.

"There is a portrayal that there is no leader like Narendra Modi because he has become the longest-serving prime minister," Pawar said. "But Nehru's contribution to nation-building and the freedom struggle cannot be forgotten and must be respected."

The veteran leader said Nehru's sacrifices during the independence movement set him apart from contemporary political leaders.

"He cannot be compared with anyone else. Nehru spent several years in prison during the freedom struggle under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi," Pawar said.

Referring to Modi's record in office, Pawar said the constitutional position of the prime minister deserved respect, but added that historical contributions should not be overlooked.

"It is good that he has become the longest-serving prime minister. In a parliamentary democracy, the office of the prime minister is a constitutional post and must be respected. But Nehru is Nehru, and Indians cannot forget his sacrifices," he said.

Pawar also criticised Maharashtra minister and BJP leader Girish Mahajan for his recent remarks on Indira Gandhi and Operation Blue Star, calling the comments unacceptable.

Mahajan had triggered a political controversy by describing Operation Blue Star as a "black day" and comparing the Army's 1984 action inside the Golden Temple complex to an invasion by Afghan ruler Ahmad Shah Abdali. Opposition parties subsequently demanded his dismissal from the state cabinet.

Responding to the remarks, Pawar defended the former prime minister's actions and said they were driven by concerns for national security. "Such a statement is unacceptable. Operation Blue Star was a sacrifice by Indira Gandhi," he said.

Pawar noted the Sikh community's contribution to both national defence and food security, while acknowledging that some individuals had chosen a different path during that turbulent period.

"Sikhs have worked for the country's security on the borders and for food security. Some people took a different path. Certain events took place and cannot be forgotten. Indira Gandhi never compromised on the country's prestige and security," he said.

Mahajan, however, has maintained that Operation Blue Star amounted to a military assault on Sikhism's holiest shrine and alleged that the then prime minister had ordered the Army into Punjab and the Golden Temple complex by force.

With PTI inputs