Mumbai: Slamming the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over its campaign to rename cities, the Nationalist Cpngress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar on Tuesday asked if the exercise would solve “core issues” like poverty and unemployment.

Speaking at an event to mark the birth anniversary of the country’s first education minister Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, Mr Pawar wondered if the political leaders giving public statements on the construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya had faith in the judiciary. The veteran leader said the BJP regime was trying to divert people’s attention from the core issues of poverty and unemployment as it was unable to resolve them.

“Names of cities are being changed. Now I hear the name of Agra, which is home to the Taj Mahal that makes the country proud, will be changed,” he said.

“What is the need for all this? What purpose will it serve? Will it increase employment? How will this increase brotherhood among people?,” he asked.

Mr Pawar said if the nation was to be taken ahead, the BJP dispensation at the Centre must tread the path laid down by leaders like Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, Subhash Chandra Bose and Maulana Abul Kalam Azad.