FPJ Interview: Supriya Sule Speaks On Pawar Split, Farmer Suicides And Constructive Opposition

Supriya Sule (56), one of the most articulate leader of Maharashtra and a down to earth politician, visited the office of the Free Press Journal and Navshakti, clad in a simple cotton sari with absolutely no airs of being the daughter and political heir of Sharad Pawar.  Awarded for being the best parliamentarian, she interacted with S Balakrishnan and Afrida Ali in our studio and replied to questions with alacrity.

The interview was conducted  as part of the Leaders' Lounge series. Excerpts:

In November, 2019 Devendra Fadnavis formed a government with your  cousin Ajit Pawar in a hush hush ceremony taking everyone by surprise. Fadnavis has gone on record stating that the short-lived government was formed with the full knowledge of Sharad Pawar which the latter has denied. What is the truth?

The truth is that Pawar saheb had no clue about the formation of this government.  You have heard only one side of the story. If anyone is saying otherwise I challenge that person to come to come to the office of the Free Press Journal and debate with me. The fact is that we were not at all kept in the loop. We did not have any idea about this move by Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar.

Fadnavis not only split your party, the NCP but also the Shiv Sena and brought down the MVA government led by Uddhav Thackeray. Once again none of you had the faintest idea about the impending downfall of the government. How come?

Well, he used the agencies to bring down the government. I will never use the agencies. For me morality is far more important than power. Power comes and goes. But you must uphold values in politics. My credibility matters to me more than power. 

You were earlier very critical of the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi earlier. Now you appear to have softened your attitude towards the ruling party and the PM. Why this change?

I continue to have my ideological differences with the BJP and I have also opposed certain policies of Modiji. But my personal equation with many people in the BJP is very good. I fondly remember my interactions with Sushma Swaraj and Arun Jaitley. And I do not oppose for the sake of opposition. If something is not in the interest of the people I do raise my voice against it. I am on several parliamentary committees where my approach is totally positive. Right now we are debating the income tax bill and we hope that together we will be able to present a bill that is acceptable to all. I belive in constructive opposition. 

You were in one of the delegations which went abroad post Operation Sindoor. Has that experience mellowed you down? Certain leaders of the India Alliance had criticised you. 

Listen, Modi's decision to send delegations to several countries to explain our response to the terror attack in Pahalgam was an excellent decision. The delegations comprised of M.P.s from different parties. We went to several countries as Indians and spoke with one voice. Back home you may have differences. But abroad we have to put a united stand and this is excactly what we did. The whole world came to know the truth about Pahalgam and those behind the dastardly terror attack. Abroad people talk about only four Indian leaders ; Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi and Narendra Modi. That is a fact which cannot be denied.

There is lot of concern about the law and order situation in Maharashtra. What is your take on it?

It is a very alarming and worrying situation. I am on the parliamentary committee of the home ministry and I come to know so many things. I would be spending sleepless nights if I was the home minister of Maharashtra. Women are being murdered for dowry. Instead of making Maharashtra dowry-free this government is trying to impose Hindi on people.

The issue of Hindi has become a burning topic in Maharashtra. People are being attacked for not speaking in Marathi. Whats going on?

In the first place, the state government should not have made Hindi compulsory. It is a sensitive issue. Without any debate or deliberation the government took the decision to impose Hindi. People do not take easily to such arbitrary decisions. As for people being beaten up for not talking in Marathi, myself and my party do not approve of such acts at all.You should take people into confidence and help them learn the language. Y.B. Chavan saheb said on the first day Maharashtra was born that whoever is in Maharashtra is a Maharashtrian.  

But Fadnavis has scrapped the government decision on Hindi. Wasn't that  a strategic move?

There was nothing strategic about it. He realised the extent of opposition to the decision from across the political spectrum and he revoked the decision.  Incidentally, Gujarat is not imposing Hindi. So many other states are also not doing that. So why only in Maharashtra it was being done? It was a wrong move which boomeranged on the Fadnavis government. We should have cooperative federalism. 

RSS general secretary Dattatreya Hosabale has demanded that the words Secular and Socialist, which were inserted by Indira Gandhi during the Emergency,should be deleted from the preamble of the Constitution. He said these two words were not there in the Constitution framed by Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar. What is your take on this?

Do I have to react to everything that somebody says or does? What is there to debate? These (words) are here to stay. 

The continued suicide by farmers  in Maharashta is very alarming? Please comment.

Indeed it is a matter of deep concern. It was there during our goverment and continuing even now. Fadnavis had promised that he would waive off farm loans. But he has not done that yet. He says he will do it at the right time. When is that right time going to come? The government is wasting money on fancy projects like the Shaktipeeth Marg which are really not necessary. The state is in deep debt. And yet we have such mega projects which are being opposed vehemently by farmers. But the government is nevertheless going ahead with this controversial project. I am going to raise the issue in Parliament. 

Why there is still no reservation for women Parliament?

That bill was passed unanimously in Parliament long back. What prevents the BJP  govenment from implementing it?

Two big ticket projects - Aramco oil refinery at Nanar and Jaitapur nuclear power project of Areva - which together would have roped in an investment of seven billion US dollars are yet to take off. Isnt it a matter of disgrace that our state is being deprived of these two mega projects which would have been game changers for our economy?

You must ask this question to the government. They are in power for so long. The government should talk to the people concerned and go ahead. Why there is no dialogue?

Pune News: Ajit Pawar Wins Malegaon Sugar Mill Polls In Baramati After Over 4 Decades

You started your political career as the daughter of Sharad Pawar and now you have emerged out of his shadow and have evolved a political personality of your own. How does it feel?

I am proud to be his daughter and would continue to be in his shadow. Even at this age he is so alert and active. He has never imposed his legacy on to me. We do have our differences. At my age he was the chief minister four times. I adore him.  

You have strong political differences with Ajit Pawar. He even pitted his wife Sunetra against you in the last Lok Sabha poll in Baramati. And yet you have good personal equations.

We do not ignore our family ties. In Baramati, many of the MLAs who were with me in the NCP are now in different parties. Right now we are introducing latest technologies to help farmers of Baramati. 

How come we do not have more Baramatis?

Nothing stops others from replicating our success.