It was no ordinary Thursday. Amidst continuing pandemonium in the parliament and absence of any unity over passing of important legislations, India’s top politicians came under one roof.
They forgot their personal rivalries while they exchanged broad smiles and showered praises on each other, at times almost making mockery of their ownselves.
The occasion was the Nationalist Congress Party chief, Sharad Pawar’s 75th birthday, where the guests included the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Congress party chief Sonia Gandhi, Samajwadi Party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav among others.
The most notable among those speeches was the one made by PM Modi. An eloquent orator and blessed with the gift of the gab, Modi was at his poetic best while speaking about his political rival.
He said, “Sharad ji kay pass kisaan wali qualities bhi hai. Jaise kisaan ko mausam ka andazaa ho jaata hai. Sharadji ne uss gunn ka rajneeti mei bahut upyog kiya. Kissi ko jaanna ho ki rajneeti ki hawa kis taraf jaegi to unke saath baith jae (Sharad ji possesses even farmer like qualities. The way a farmer can foretell the changing pattern of weather, Sharad ji has displayed same quality in politics. If anyone wants to know the direction of Indian politics, they should spend time with him.)”
Modi didn’t stop here.
He added, “Sharad Pawar ji’s commitment to his work is commendable; talk to him for even ten minutes he would bring in conversation about farmers. Mumbai ko Sharad Pawar ji ne Underworld se bachaya, jhijhak nahin ki. Sharad Pawar ji ka jeevan dekh kay aisa lagta hai ki jahan unki nazar jaegi wahan se unko salaam aaega (He saved Mumbai from the terror of underworld. Looking at his life, it seems as if whichever direction he will look at, he is bound to get only salutes from people.)”
Modi showering praises for Pawar could not go unnoticed on social media particularly twitter. Users soon began to dig out the prime minister’s old tweets posted during the period leading up to Maharashtra assembly elections essentially to highlight the glaring u-turn in his stand.
Listening to Modi on Thursday, Pawar would have wished only one thing; Why on earth he didn’t hold a similar birthday bash during the last year’s assembly elections, which his alliance lost spectacularly.
Here are some of those tweets.
किसी ने चुनाव के दौरान इन्हें ही "नेशनल करप्ट पार्टी" कहा था?कौन था वो? #justasking ? https://t.co/CEO2eTPIag
— Dr Kumar Vishvas (@DrKumarVishwas) December 10, 2015
Hmm ???https://t.co/m1ej0AXp0S
— Kumar Amit (@Ikumar7) December 10, 2015
Oh god really ???https://t.co/fpsYcTsP67
— Kumar Amit (@Ikumar7) December 10, 2015
https://twitter.com/smapbob/status/674994571630153728
Calling NCP, 'National Corrupt Party was just a #Jumla!
Sharad Pawar's commitment to his work commendable: PM Modi https://t.co/NPRE5w2GwF— neeru bahl (@Neeru_Bahl) December 10, 2015
Yes contribution in farmer suicides . Sharad Pawar https://t.co/y1t2jvHdU1
— Sanjeet Bhalothia (@Bhalothia_ssb) December 10, 2015
Some other day modi ji said NCP is naturally corrupt party
And sharad pawar is head of that @AbhinavAAP @_kapilb https://t.co/2uiBdjAJ5u— किशोर झा (@TheKishorJha) December 10, 2015
Attended Parliament this morning -repeatedly disrupted. Attended Sharad Pawar's 75th felicitation-the entire political spectrum was present
— Vijay Mallya (@TheVijayMallya) December 10, 2015
