Ministers, celebrities hail ‘visionary leader’ Sharad Pawar

Shiv Sena chief Uddav Thackeray greets Nationalist Congress Party president Sharad Pawar on his 75th birthday at the felicitation ceremony for the latter at Y.B. Chavan Centre in Mumbai on Saturday — Rajesh Jadhav

NCP chief Sharad Pawar said, during his felicitation ceremony on his 75th birthday at Nehru Centre on Saturday, that democracy needs to be strengthened in the country. “Democracy is a miracle that can take even a common man to the top. Even the last person in society should feel that he is a part of democracy. We should try to strengthen and respect it,” said Mr Pawar.

Calling him a visionary leader and great administrator, top political leaders cutting across party lines heaped praise on the Maratha strongman during his 75th birthday celebrations. Aadharwad, a book depicting the views of various people about Pawar was released on this occasion. He was also felicitated by veteran actor Sulochana.

Celebrities from various fields like business, literature, sports and film were also present to convey their wishes to Pawar. The event also brought the estranged Thackeray cousins — Uddhav and Raj — together for the first time after the death of Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray. Governor C. Vidyasagar Rao, Congress leader Narayan Rane, former speaker Manohar Joshi, industrialist Mukesh Ambani, revenue minister Eknath Khadse and actor Nana Patekar were among the dignitaries who attended the function.

Mr Rao said that Mr Pawar dedicated his life to the welfare of farmers and the agriculture movement. “Many politicians rose and eclipsed, but Pawar remained at the core of politics during his long political career. He had worked tirelessly during the drought in Maharashtra in the seventies. He is doing the same in the present drought situation,” he said.

Mr Khadse lauded Mr Pawar for his crisis-management skills. “His disaster management work during the Latur earthquake was appreciated by the then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Inspired by him, even Gujarat replicated those earthquake measures.”

Recounting Mr Pawar’s several meetings with Balasaheb, the Thackeray cousins said despite political differences, Mr Pawar’s significance could not be ruled out. “Mr Pawar is an invisible power in politics that has been behind several political happenings, said Raj Thackeray.