Govt agencies should keep off 'gold hunt': Sharad Pawar

NAVI MUMBAI: Expressing strong displeasure with ongoing excavation to unearth the treasure trove of 1,000 tonne gold in Unnao, NCP president and Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar today said government agencies should not participate in the hunt based on a "dream" of a seer as it would give rise to superstitions.

"Nothing is going to fall in the hands. We are against such activities and against people who seek to propagate such message," Pawar said here.

"The government agencies should not participate in such work," the NCP chief said, apparently referring to the Archaeological Survey of India's (ASI's) role in the digging in Unnao district in Uttar Pradesh.

The excavation work was being carried out amid tight security at the fort of former King Raja Rao Ram Bux Singh in Daudiakala village.

The gold rush was triggered after a seer Shoban Sarkar claimed that the Raja had appeared to him in a dream and told him that 1,000 tonne of gold lay buried in its ruins.

"Nothing will fall in the hands but the message will go out among the people that government is evincing interest. This will lead to rise in "buwabaji" (promoting superstitions by godmen) in society," Pawar said.