Opposition to Babasaheb Purandare not NCP's view, says Ajit Pawar

MUMBAI: Senior NCP leader Ajit Pawar today said the opposition expressed by party leader Jitendra Awhad over Maharastra government's decision to confer state's highest award to historian Babasaheb Purandare, saying it was his "personal view" and should not be construed as the official stance of the party.

"What Awhad has said is his personal view and not that of the party," Pawar said, when his attention was drawn to Awhad objecting to Maharashtra government selecting Purandare for the state government's highest award, the Maharashtra Bhushan.

"The state government has the full authority to select any person it deems fit for the award," Pawar added.

Police last month booked Awhad, NCP MLA, for allegedly disturbing communal harmony through his provocative speech at a function organised in Sangli by Sambhaji Brigade to demand cancellation of Maharashtra Bhushan award to Purandare.

Meanwhile, senior Congress leader Digvijay Singh had last month opposed the BJP-led state government's decision to confer the prestigious award to the 92-year-old historian and said that it is "an insult to the nation".

" Awarding Purandare, who distorted the history of Shivaji Maharaj, with the title of Maharashtra Bhushan is an insult to the nation," the Congress leader had said.

"Distorting history is RSS agenda and I strongly condemn their attack on Jitendra Awhad, who is a relentless fighter against communal forces," he had added.

Meanwhile, Jnanpeeth award winner Bhalchandra Nemade said "there is no cause to object to the Maharashtra Bhushan as the award is not that important."

Nemade also said there was no need for literary meets as nothing is achieved through them.