Shiv Sena leader Neelam Gorhe’s controversial remarks at the 98th Akhil Bhartiya Marathi Sahitya Sammelan about gifting Mercedes cars for plum posts in Thackeray’s Sena drew criticism from Sharad Pawar and Devendra Fadnavis.

MUMBAI: A day after Shiv Sena MLC and legislative council deputy chairperson Neelam Gorhe said at the Marathi Sahitya Sammelan that “two Mercedes would fetch you a post in the Shiv Sena (UBT),” NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar termed her statement “foolish, uncalled for and immature,” while CM Devendra Fadnavis called for “restraint” and “a balanced approach” at literary gatherings.
Pawar’s criticism came after UBT Sena MP Sanjay Raut earlier in the day expressed his party’s unhappiness with the NCP (SP) chief, saying he (as chairman of the literary meet’s reception committee) could not shirk responsibility for the “mudslinging” that had happened at the 98th Akhil Bhartiya Marathi Sahitya Sammelan in New Delhi. The literary meet was inaugurated by PM Modi in the presence of Pawar and CM Devendra Fadnavis.
At one of the events at the Samellan, Gorhe claimed that in Thackeray’s Sena, one had to gift Mercedes cars to Uddhav Thackeray for securing plum posts.
“She should have refrained from making such comments. A literary meet is not the platform for making such political statements,” Pawar said. Pawar said Gorhe has vast political experience and the state is aware of how she secured plum assignments. When she first became MLC, she was a member of an organization led by Prakash Ambedkar. She later joined the NCP and finally she landed in the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, he said. In a brief span, she managed to secure the post of MLC. “In her political career, there was lack of political consistency and affiliations,” Pawar said.
On Raut’s observation that it was not appropriate for a literary meet to be used for political mudslinging, Pawar said what Raut said was correct. “The organizers of the event expressed disappointment and they have tendered an apology for abuse of the platform. So it is time we close the chapter,” Pawar said. Raut had said about Pawar, “He was the patron and gave the welcome address. The kind of programme planned, the political mudslinging, he is equally responsible. Pawar should express his protest. How can he remain silent? We stand up when mudslinging takes place against him.” This was the second time Sena (UBT) hit out at Pawar in a fortnight. The first was when Pawar gave the Mahadji Shinde Rashtra Gaurav Puraskar to Dy CM Eknath Shinde in Delhi.
Fadnavis said, “Authors and literary figures should observe restraint while speaking at such forums. Some have consistently argued politicians should not be present on the dais… I expect them to avoid comments resembling political commentary.”