Aaditya Thackeray, Ajit Pawar ‘insulted’ when they accompanied PM Modi: Sena, NCP

The Sena claimed that Aaditya was insulted when he went to receive the PM at INS Shikra, the helibase of Western Naval Command in Mumbai. According to Sena leaders, the Special Protection Group, which is responsible for the PM’s security, objected to Aaditya travelling in Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray’s vehicle, which was a part of the Modi’s entourage from the helibase to Raj Bhavan.

The NCP, meanwhile, claimed that Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar was not allowed to speak in the presence of the PM at the inauguration of a shila (rock) temple at Sant Tukaram Maharaj Mandir in Dehu.

Former Mumbai mayor Kishori Pednekar told The Indian Express, “Aadityaji went to the naval base as the protocol minister and was sitting in the CM’s car. The security personnel of the PM told him to get down from the car. The CM was very upset… Do the officers of the Union government not know the protocol? They have not insulted Aaditya Thackeray, they have insulted Maharashtra.”

A former chief protocol officer of the state government said any person can travel in the PM convoy and entourage provided the SPG allows.

NCP MP Supriya Sule, objecting to Pawar not being allowed to speak in Dehu, said, “Ajit Pawar is the deputy chief minister of Maharashtra. He is the guardian minister of Pune and a NCP leader. I have checked with his office. They told me that his name was sent to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) to be included as one of the speakers. However, the PMO deliberately omitted his name.”

“Ajit dada was not allowed to speak…This is an insult to the people of Maharashtra. I am shocked, it is unfortunate and inappropriate,” she added.

Devendra Fadnavis, the Leader of the Opposition in the state Assembly, spoke just before the PM delivered his speech.

Nitin More, who heads the Shri Sant Tukaram Maharaj Sansthan, Dehu, the main organiser of the event, said: “We had sent Ajit Pawar’s name as one of the speakers. But the protocol was decided by the PMO. We had no role to play in this matter.”

While NCP workers took to the streets to register their protest, a video footage released by a Marathi news channel showed the PM expressing surprise when the compere announced his name as the next speaker after Fadnavis. The footage showed the PM turning to Pawar and apparently asking him to address the crowd. But Pawar is seen urging the PM to take the centre stage.

“Leader of the Opposition Devendra Fadnavis was given an opportunity to speak at the Prime minister’s event at Dehu, but the state’s deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar was not allowed to speak. This is an insult to Maharashtra,” Sule later tweeted.

Sena MP Sanjay Raut said while Aaditya went to INS Shikra as a protocol minister, as per rule, he was allowed to be there. “In Pune, Deputy CM Ajit Pawar was not allowed to speak in the PM’s function. In Mumbai, the CM missed the PM’s convoy (as Aaditya was asked to get down from the car). The CM has already taken this issue up with the concerned authorities.”