Absence of harmony, development in India today: Sharad Pawar

Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar launched a veiled attack on the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government, and highlighted the absence of harmony and development in India in the present day.

"If there's power in someone's hands he must see how to maintain harmony and lead others to development. Today there's absence of it. We see people getting attacked, sometimes Muslims, sometimes Christians. Section of people project as if it's their right to attack others," Pawar said while addressing a gathering here.

He also criticised BJP MP Gopal Shetty for his earlier remark on Christians not being contributors to India's freedom struggle.

"A minister said today that Christians did not contribute to the freedom struggle. He should be ashamed of himself. Congress contributed a lot to the struggle for freedom and Annie Besant was a significant name in Congress."

Citing an example of the Avenfield reference case verdict in Pakistan, Pawar said the situation is similar in India.

"Look at our neighbour Pakistan. Their former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was sent to jail for 10 years today. Such is the situation around India today. So it is our responsibility to see that we maintain harmony and keep all elements spreading hatred at bay," he said.

Sharif was sentenced to 10 years of imprisonment and a fine of eight million pounds on Friday in one of three corruption cases, while his daughter, Maryam Nawaz, was sentenced to seven years of imprisonment and a fine of two million pounds.

Maryam's husband Captain (retd) Muhammad Safdar was also sentenced to one year of imprisonment.