File photo of Nationalist Congress Party leader Sharad Pawar.
Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar today took exception to Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis' reported remark after the winter session that "the opposition should be ashamed" saying his new role needed "more maturity".
"The role of opposition is important in democracy and so it is expected that you choose your words wisely when you speak about the opposition. The Chief Minister is still young and he needs more maturity in his new role," Mr Pawar said in an article in Marathi newspaper 'Lok Satta'.
The former union minister said he was pained by Devendra Fadnavis' reported statement after the winter session that 'the opposition (Congress and NCP) should be ashamed'.
"I had good relations with Mr Devendra's father, the late Gangadhar Fadnavis when he was a member of legislature. I still remember him as a cultured, mature man with a large heart," Sharad Pawar said.
After taking over the reins, it was Devendra Fadnavis' responsibility to focus attention on drought-hit regions of the state and he should refrain from talking about a separate statehood for Vidarbha, Mr Pawar added.
"Being the Chief Minister, he is responsible for the welfare of the entire state," he said.
"The decision on separate statehood has to be left to the people. Goa was given a separate statehood when there was a consensus. There has been no such consensus for Vidarbha," he added.
He also said the government should have extended budget session to discuss the Vijay Kelkar committee report on regional imbalance in Maharashtra in detail.
Sharad Pawar, a former Chief Minister, also opposed the idea of having a committee headed by the Prime Minister for development of Mumbai, saying it was not advisable that the PM should intervene in internal issues of the state, or those between two neighbouring states.