Mumbai: Keeping the Indrayani river clean is my responsibility, said NCP chief Sharad Pawar at a function held in the holy town of Alandi Saturday. He claimed that he would keep the Indrayani river clean, whether or not the NCP was in power. He also replied to a letter issued by the Rashtriya Warkari Parishad saying, “I do not have to take permission from anyone to visit Pandharpur and Alandi”. The organisation had recently issued notice not to invite Mr Pawar to any religious event.
On February 5, the Rastriya Warkari Parishad had issued notice calling Mr Pawar anti-Hindu. The Warkari organisation had also directed not to invite Mr Pawar and the current government for inaugural events or for speeches. The notice notwithstanding, Mr Pawar visited Alandi to attend a function organised by the Warkari educational institute on the occasion of Jog Maharaj’s (founder of the Jog Education Institute) death anniversary.
Mr Pawar hit back at the Rashtriya Warkari Parishad saying, “I do not have to seek permission from anyone to worship at the Pandharpur, Alandi and Tuljapur temples. Those who think so have not understood the teaching of the Warkari sect,” he said.
The Warkaris had brought to the notice of Mr Pawar the pollution in the holy Indrayani river. Mr Pawar assured them that he would take the initiative to clean the river. In his speech, he also mentioned that the cleanliness of the river would be his personal responsibility, irrespective of whether or not his party was in power. The Pawar family will take the initiative to clean it, he said.
He also highlighted that the class which demanded a better society would always have the backing of the government. Mr Pawar promised to take their demands to the deputy chief minister, finance minister and guardian minister and have the Indrayani Purification project announced.
