Pawar slams Shah for his Sabarimala verdict remarks

NCP president Sharad Pawar Monday hit out at BJP chief Amit Shah for his remarks that courts should desist from pronouncing "impracticable" orders made in the backdrop of the Supreme Court verdict on Sabarimala.

Addressing a "Save Constitution" rally organised by the women's wing of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) here, he also attacked the Bharatiya Janata Party-led central government on a host of issues, including the recent turmoil in the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

Slamming Shah, Pawar said the BJP chief's comments indicated that the Supreme Court verdict allowing entry of women of all ages to the Sabarimala shrine in Kerala was not acceptable to the saffron party.

A recent verdict of the apex court lifting the age restrictions on entry of women to the hill shrine of Lord Ayyappa, who is believed to be celibate as per traditions, has led to massive protests by the devotees in the southern state.

Shah had Saturday said courts should desist from pronouncing verdicts that could not be implemented, drawing flak from Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, the Congress and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP).

Pawar said, "The Kerala government has decided to implement the apex court order on allowing entry of women of all ages to the Sabarimala shrine.

"BJP president Amit Shah went to Kerala and said how could the Supreme Court pronounce orders that could not be implemented."