Sharad Pawar recalls bond with Amravati

Amravati: Dr Panjabrao alias Bhausaheb Deshmukh felt the need for educating youths and bringing respect to farmers, said NCP chief Sharad Pawar here on Monday and also recalled how he was greatly influenced by Sant Tukadoji Maharaj and Sant Gadge Baba in his childhood.

Pawar was replying to an all-party public felicitation to celebrate 50 years of his parliamentary and political life.

Pawar also remembered leaders from Amravati like former RPI president RS Gawai, late CPI MP Sudam Deshmukh and late Congress MP Ushatai Chaudhary and poet Suresh Bhat. "They all enriched Amravati," he said.

Pawar did not fail to remember his mentor Yashwantrao Chavan and how the city showered love on him after his arrest at Pohra, near here, in the late 70s during the cotton movement.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said Pawar picked up from where Yeshwantrao Chavan left. "Pawar handled many responsibilities but he would be specially remembered for his term as the Union agriculture minister, where he spearheaded initiatives for record agriculture production, earnning him appreciation from the United Nations," Fadnavis said.

"Pawar always stood above caste, creed, religion and language and worked without any discrimination for the good of the people in general and Maharashtra in particular," the CM said.

Fadnavis said that a state always needs politicians who look beyond politics. "Sharad Pawar is one such politician," he said.