Jalna may refer to:

• Jalna district, an administrative district in the state of Maharashtra in western India
• Jalna (city), a city and a municipal council in Jalna district
• Jalna (Lok Sabha constituency), a Lok Sabha parliamentary constituency of Maharashtra
• Jalna (novel), a 1927 novel by Mazo de la Roche
• Jalna (film), a 1935 film adaptation of the novel directed by John Cromwell

This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the same title. If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article.

Raj Shrikant Thackeray (Marathi: राज श्रीकांत ठाकरे) (born 14 June 1968) is the founder and president of the right-wing^{[citation needed]} Marathi ethnocentric regional political party, the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena ("Maharashtra Reformation Army") in the state of Maharashtra, India. His official name is Swararaj which means the king of musical notes.^[1] He is the nephew of Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray, and a cousin of the current Shiv Sena Executive President Uddhav Thackeray.^[2]

Early life[link]

Raj was born on 14 June 1968 in a Marathi Kayastha (CKP) family to Shrikant Thackeray (younger brother of Bal Thackeray) and Kunda Thackeray (younger sister of Bal Thackeray's wife Meena Thackeray). Raj’s father Shrikant Thackeray was a musician, cartoonist and was also well versed in Urdu. He studied in Balmohan Vidyamandir, Mumbai and graduated from the Sir Jamsetjee Jeejebhoy School of Art, Mumbai. As a child he is said to have learnt the tabla, the guitar and the violin. He also loved drawing which later turned into a passion for drawing cartoons.

Political career[link]

Raj started his political career with his Uncle Bal Thackeray. Bal Thackeray has been a huge influence on Raj’s life. Raj has been said to have modeled himself after him. In 1997, he started the Shiv Udyog Sena a youth wing for the Shiv Sena. With this he tried to strengthen his youth leader image. "He raised funds for the employment agency with, among other sources, concerts by Michael Jackson and Lata Mangeshkar — and thus, simultaneously, propagated the new brand of the Sena's popular culture and its implications for a nascent generational change within the organization". But his association with the Sena ended in 2006. In January 2006 he resigned from the Sena alleging that it was being "run by petty clerks" because of which it had "fallen from its former glory". There has been quite a lot of speculation over the real reason why he left the party. The popular rumor being that he was being "sidelined" by Bal Thackeray’s son Uddhav. In the same year Raj announced his intention to start his own political party. Although separated from his mentor, Raj has always maintained that he does not want to have hostilities with his uncle who "was, is and always will be (his) mentor".

Political Views[link]

Marathi Identity[link]

Raj Thackeray and his party, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena, state that Maharashtra State, Marathi language and Marathi Manoos are subverted by the influence of non-Marathi politicians within and outside the State, and that these politicians should be opposed in order to attain prosperity for Maharashtra and Marathi people.^[3]

Opposition to Immigrants[link]

Since the creation of his party, Raj Thackeray has opposed immigration into Maharashtra from North India. According to Raj Thackeray, he is against immigrants specifically from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, and not from North India or elsewhere, in general. According to him, bad governance, corruption, high crime rates and criminal, politicians in these two states for decades, has degraded the socio-economic conditions there, causing exodus of people from these states to other states, like Maharashtra. This causes unemployment and increased crime rates in Maharashtra and other states which receive these immigrants. Also, due to rising number of immigrants, the politician from these two states have gained power in Maharashtra. He, however has made it clear that he is not against Hindi.^[4]

Violence in Agitations[link]

Raj Thackery and his party MNS have been criticized^{[citation needed]} for use of violence during their agitations, especially directed towards immigrants from UP and Bihar. He is facing several charges for instigating violence in various courts.^{[citation needed]} On use of violence, Thackeray says that violence is a part of all agitations in Indian politics, and there are several cases of much more violence carried out by other parties and organisations. According to him, the incidents of violence involving members of his party have been unduly highlighted by North Indian politicians and journalists.^[4]

Supporter of Narendra Modi's Governance[link]

Thackeray is an admirer of Gujarat Chief Minister, Narendra Modi for his governance, and the development of Gujarat during his tenure. In August 2011, Raj Thackeray visited Gujarat on a 9-day trip as 'state guest' to study the development in Gujarat. He also advised politicians in Maharashtra, irrespective of party, to take lessons from Modi and Gujarat.^[5] He has also expressed support for Modi for the post Prime Minister of India for the 2014 Lok Sabha (general) election.^[5]

Agitations[link]

Marathi signboards for shops[link]

In July 2008, Raj issued a public warning that Mumbai shops needed to have Marathi signboards in addition to the existing English signboards. He warned that after one month, MNS workers would start blackening non-Marathi signboards.^{[citation needed]} While there had been a law to this effect passed earlier by Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, it had not been enforced.^{[citation needed]}

Raj had also insisted that the Marathi signboards had to be at least as big as the English signboards. A number of big shopowners, notably Viren Shah (Roopam chain) went to court against this move. The high-court provided them relief, passing a judgement that the Marathi signboards did not have to be as big as English signboards.^[6]

In September 2008, MNS workers resorted to blackening signboards, to enforce the demand, after which most shop owners complied. Six MNS workers were arrested but later released on bail. The Congress government was dilatory in filing chargesheets against them, following which the Maharashtra high-court passed strictures against the government. When the government prosecutor submitted in December that the chargesheets had not been filed as investigation was ongoing, the judge remarked sarcastically whether this was a murder case to warrant such long investigations, three months after the arrest of the MNS workers, but Raj was attempting to enforce a rule previously on the books.^[7]

Agitation against Jet Airways layoffs[link]

In October 2008, on the eve of the major Indian festival Diwali, Jet Airways laid off 800 temporary workers and announced layoffs of an additional 1100 workers. The laid-off workers included Marathi as well as North-Indians. These workers met Raj Thackeray and asked him to intervene. Following this, Raj Thackeray declared that most of these workers had paid security deposits to the company, and he would meet Jet management to plead their case. Unless Jet Airways cancelled the layoffs, his party would not allow any Jet Airways plane to take off from any airport in Maharashtra.^[8]

Within 12 hours of Raj Thackeray's declaration, Jet chairman Naresh Goyal reversed the layoffs and reinstated the sacked employees. He claimed that he did it on his own and that there was no political pressure on him. Leftist Unions, Shivsena & Civil Aviation minister Praful Patel later tried to take credit for the decision. On announcement of the layoffs, Praful Patel had claimed that he had no jurisdiction over the layoffs issue.^[9] Sacked Jet employees on the other hand stated that they were warned by Jet management on reinstatement, not to meet Raj Thackeray to thank him.^[10]

Demand for Telecom customer service in Marathi[link]

Telecom companies in Maharashtra had been providing customer service in English & Hindi only. Raj demanded that all telecom companies operating in Maharashtra start providing the service in Marathi also and set a deadline of 27 February 2010, after which his party MNS would launch an agitation. Following this demand, all telecom companies complied, introducing Marathi as an additional option in their customer service.^[11]

Maharashtra-Karnataka Border Issue[link]

In Dec 2011, Raj Thackeray meeting a group from MES (Maharshtra Ekikaran Samiti) advised them that they should revisit their stand of merging Belgaum with Maharashtra in the interest of marathi speaking people of belgaum. In a major departure from the stance previously taken by traditional right wing groups of Maharashtra, Raj Thackeray argued that a practical approach rather than an emotional one was the need of the hour. However, he said that if the supreme court itself gives a decision in favor of Belgaum's merger he would welcome it, although the local situation in Belgaum should not be vitiated for the sake of it. He asked the MES leaders to first identify the real issue as to whether marathis in belgaum are being targeted for espousing the cause of marathi language or because they were supporting the merger of Belgaum with Maharashtra. Lamenting that strikes and bandhs only add to the misery of the Marathi-speaking community in Belgaum, Thackeray said: "If the Karnataka government is ready to respect the Marathi people, their culture and language, then there is nothing wrong in Belgaum being there."^[12] His comments were strongly criticized by his cousin Uddhav Thackeray as a cruel joke on the marathi manoos.^[13]

Controversies[link]

2008 violence against UP & Biharis[link]

At a rally in Shivaji Park, Raj warned that if the dadagiri (intimidating dominance) of these people in Mumbai and Maharashtra continued, he would be compelled to make them leave the metropolis.^[14] Raj was arrested along with a Samajwadi Party leader, Abu Azmi, for their involvement in the fracas. He was released on paying a penalty of 15,000 (US$299.25).

Acquittal in Kini murder case[link]

In July 1996, Ramesh Kini was found dead in a cinema in Pune. Kini was a tenant in a ramshackle tenement in central Mumbai, whose landlord, Laxmikant Shah, was trying to evict him. Shah also happened to be a close childhood friend of Raj Thackeray. A CBI enquiry was later issued for the case, but the CBI dismissed the case as one of suicide.^[15]

Kohinoor mill controversy[link]

Shiv Sena opposed sale of mill land, but Raj Thackeray bid for and won mill land in prime Mumbai real estate.^[16] On 21 July 2005, Raj and Unmesh Joshi, son of Shiv Sena Leader Manohar Joshi purchased a five acre plot of land, Kohinoor Mill No. 3, located across the road from the Shiv Sena party headquarters in Dadar, Mumbai for 421 crore (US$83.99 million). The NCP leader from Mumbai, Sachin Ahir, objected to the sale of the Kohinoor Mill land, saying that there were forty bids, yet only three were short-listed. He demanded a re-bid as there was a lack of transparency in the move.^[17]

Reaction to Jaya Bachchan's controversial statement[link]

The words of Jaya Bachchan, veteran actor and sitting Rajya Sabha MP of Samajwadi Party (with whom Raj's MNS has crossed swords a number of times), during the Music launch of the Hindi film Drona, were deemed hurtful by Raj Thackeray.

Jaya's words 'Hum UP (Uttar Pradesh) ke log hain, isliye Hindi mein baat karenge, Maharashtra ke log Maaf Kijiye' (We are from UP region, so we will speak in Hindi. People of Maharashtra, please excuse) in response to the film's Director, Goldie Behl, making his introductory speech in English and subsequently encouraging the actress Priyanka Chopra to speak in Hindi.^[18]

Raj commented that Jaya had no business alluding to all the people of Maharashtra in that statement. He threatened to ban all Bachchan films unless Jaya apologised in a public forum for hurting Maharashtrians. MNS workers began to attack theatres screening The Last Lear starring Jaya Bachchan's husband, Amitabh Bachchan. Shivsena MP Sanjay Raut also criticized Jaya's statement saying: "After making all your success & fortune in Mumbai, if you feel like saying that, We are From UP, its very unfortunate." It was only after Amitabh tendered an apology that the screening resumed.^[19]

Following Raj's threat, Mumbai police acted against Raj, issuing a gag order preventing him from speaking to the media.^[20]

Remarks on Chhath Puja and Migrants[link]

Raj reproached North Indian leaders for politicizing Chhath Puja, a festival popular in Bihar, calling it a "drama" and a "show of numerical strength". He stated that the Chhath Puja was a political gimmick by some parties to attract the north Indian vote. He questioned the motives by citing that the puja is performed on the banks of a river, not the sea as it was being performed.^[21] He demanded that they only celebrate Maharashtra day and not UP day in Maharashtra. A petition was filed in the Patna civil court on 8 February against him for his remarks.^[22] His statements drew flak from political leaders across the board, especially those from the North Indian states. The then Indian Railways minister and former chief minister of Bihar, Lalu Prasad Yadav, vowed that he would come to Mumbai and perform Chhath Puja in front of Raj's house, which he failed to perform. He also ridiculed Raj saying, "He [Raj] is a child in politics".^[21] The Navnirman Sena leader accused migrants of swamping Maharashtra, India's most industrialised state, in search of jobs.^[23]

The MNS chief also accused migrants of disrespecting the local culture. On 9 February, expressing his stance on new migrants settling in Mumbai, Raj said, "New immigrants to the city should be denied entry into the city, while those already staying here should show respect to the Marathi 'manoos' and his culture".^[24]

Mumbai-Bombay Controversy: Wake Up Sid[link]

On 2 October 2009, MNS workers disrupted the screening of the film Wake Up Sid on its release in a few Pune and Mumbai theatres, after Raj objected to references in the movie to "Bombay" rather than "Mumbai". The city of Mumbai was referred to as "Bombay" in many scenes^[25] and in some songs (lyrics by Javed Akhtar). The film's producer, Karan Johar, visited Raj's residence to apologise, and agreed to all of Raj's terms, including an apology on each of the 700 frames in the film.^[26]

Personal life[link]

This biographical section of an article needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately, especially if potentially libelous or harmful. (February 2012)

Raj is married to Sharmila, daughter of famous Marathi theater/films actor, producer-director Mohan Wagh. They have one son named Amit Thackeray and one daughter Urvashi Thackeray.

Like his father and uncle Raj is a painter and cartoonist. He had also expressed his desire to work for Walt Disney Studios. Raj Thackeray said when asked what he would have done had he not joined politics? "In my college days, I wanted to work with Walt Disney Studios. I drew cartoons even before my foray in politics. Film making is also a passion. I would have been doing either of these things."

External links[link]

• Maharashtra Navnirman Sena Official Website
• Outlook India Back Issues
• Raj Thackerey's response in The Indian Express to Sudheendra Kulkarni's criticism
• New legal strategy to tame Raj

References[link]

Sharadchandra Govindrao Pawar (Marathi: शरदचंद्र गोविंदराव पवार; born 12 December 1940), popularly known as Sharad Pawar), is the president of the Nationalist Congress Party which he founded in 1999, after separating from the Indian National Congress. He has previously held the posts of Minister of Defence and Chief Minister of Maharashtra and currently serves as Minister of Agriculture, Government of India.

Pawar is from the town of Baramati in the Pune district of Maharashtra. He leads the NCP delegation in the Lok Sabha, representing his constituency of Madha in Maharashtra. He has a prominence in national politics as well as regional politics of Maharashtra, although marred by frequent corruption allegations.

Pawar also served as the Chairman of the Board of Control for Cricket in India from 2005 to 2008. In 2010, Sharad Pawar became the International Cricket Council president after England's David Morgan.^[1]

Early life and family history[link]

Pawar is one of the ten children (six sons and four daughters) born to Govindrao Pawar and Shardabai baramati). Govindrao was employed by the Baramati farmers' Cooperative ( Sahakari Kharedi Vikri Sangh) while his mother looked after the family farm at Katewadi, ten kilometers from Baramati. Most of siblings were well educated and were either professionals or ran their own businesses. Pawar studied at BrihanMaharashtra College of Commerce (BMCC)in Pune. He was an average student, however, active in student politics. Pawar's first political act was when he organized a protest march for Goan Independence in Pravaranagar in 1956.,^[2] Pawar is married to Pratibha (Shinde). They have one daughter, Supriya who is married to Sadanand Sule and now is active in politics. Pawar's nephew, Ajit Pawar is also a prominent politician in his own right and presently serving as the Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra. Pawar's younger brother, Pratap runs the influential Marathi daily, Sakal

Political career[link]

Till 1990[link]

Sharad Pawar entered the Maharashtra legislative assembly for the first time in 1967 from Baramati, representing the undivided Congress Party. Yashwantrao Chavan was the political mentor of Sharad Pawar.^[3]

Pawar broke away from the Congress to form a coalition MODI28 government with the opposition Janata Sangh in 1978 becoming the Chief Minister of Maharashtra for the first time at a time when Indira Gandhi had become incredibly unpopular due to her imposition of Emergency in 1975^{[citation needed]}. This Progressive Democratic Front government was dismissed in February 1980, following Indira Gandhi's return to power at the Centre.

power at the Centre.

In the elections that frty won the majority in state assembly and A.R. Antulay,took over as the chief minister of the state. Pawar took over the Presidency of the Congress in 1981. For the first time, he won Lok Sabha election from Baramati parliamentary constituency in 1984. He also won state assembly elections of March 1985 from Baramati and preferred to continue in state politics for a while and resigned from the Lok Sabha. His party, the Indian Congress (Socialist) won 54 seats out of 288 in the state assembly and he became the leader of the opposition.

His returning to the Congress has been cited as a reason for the rise of the Shiv Sena at that time. In June 1988, Prime Minister of India and Congress President Rajiv Gandhi decided to induct then Maharashtra Chief Minister Shankarrao Chavan into Union Cabinet as Finance Minister and Sharad Pawar was chosen to replace Chavan as chief minister. Sharad Pawar had the task of checking the rise of the Shiv Sena in state politics, which was a potential challenge to the dominance of Congress party in the state^{[citation needed]}. In 1989 Lok Sabha elections, Congress party won 28 seats out of 48 in Maharashtra. In the state assembly elections of February 1990, the alliance between the Shiv Sena and the Bharatiya Janata Party posed a stiff challenge to the Congress. Congress fell short of an absolute majority in the state assembly, winning 141 seats out 288. Sharad Pawar was sworn in as chief minister again on March 4, 1990 with the support of 12 independent MLAs.

Early 1990s[link]

During the course of election campaign, former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated. There were reports in the media that Pawar's name was being considered for the Prime Minister's post along with those of P.V. Narasimha Rao and N.D. Tiwari.^[4][5][6] However the Congress Parliamentary Party elected P.V. Narasimha Rao as its leader and he was sworn in as Prime Minister on June 21, 1991. Rao decided to induct Pawar as Defence Minister. On June 26, 1991, Pawar took over as that portfolio, continuing till March 1993. After Pawar's successor in Maharashtra, Sudhakarrao Naik stepped down, Rao sent Pawar back as chief minister of the state.

He was sworn in as chief minister for his fourth and most controversial term^{[citation needed]} on March 6, 1993. Almost immediately, Mumbai, the financial capital of India and the state capital of Maharashtra, was rocked with series of bomb blasts on March 12, 1993.

Mid 1990s[link]

The Deputy Commissioner of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, G R Khairnar made a series of accusations against Pawar for being involved in corruption and protecting the criminals.^[7][8] Though Khairnar could not produce any evidence in support of his claims, it inevitably affected Pawar's popularity. Notable social worker Anna Hazare started a fast unto death to demand expulsion of 12 officers of the Forest department of Government of Maharashtra, who had been accused of corruption. The opposition parties accused Pawar's government of trying to shield the corrupt officers. The 1994 Gowari stampede occurred at Nagpur during the Winter Session of Maharashtra State Assembly and killed 114 people. Nagpur Police were trying to disperse almost 50000 Gowari protesters using baton charge but it created panic and triggered stampede amongst protesters.^[9] Allegations were made that the mishap occurred because welfare minister Madhukarrao Pichad did not meet with the delegation of the Vanjara people in time. Though Pichad stepped down owing moral responsibility for the mishap, this incident was another setback to Sharad Pawar's government.

The elections to the Vidhan Sabha were due to be held in 1995. The Shiv Sena and BJP combine was leading the Congress in the polls, and thess in the polls, and there was widespread rebellion in the Congress party. The Shiv Sena-BJP combine won 138 seats while Congress party retained only 80 seats in the state assembly. Sharad Pawar had to step down and Shiv Sena leader Manohar Joshi took over as chief minister on March 14, 1995.

Till the Lok Sabha elections of 1996, Sharad Pawar served as the Leader of the Opposition in State Legislative Council. In the 1996 General elections, he won from the Baramati seat and has not returned to the State Assembly since.

1997 till date[link]

In June 1997, he unsuccessfully challenged Sitaram Kesri for the post of Congress President. In the mid-term parliamentary elections of 1998, Sharad Pawar not only won from his constituency, Baramati but also led the Congress to an emphatic win in Maharashtra. His move to align with the Republican Party of India (Athvale) and Samajwadi Party for the elections in the state brought rich dividents and the Congress party and allies won 37 seats out of 48 in the state. Sharad Pawar served as Leader of Opposition in 12th Lok Sabha.

After 12th Lok Sabha was dissolved and elections to 13th Lok Sabha were due, Pawar, P.A. Sangma and Tariq Anwar demanded that the Congress Party needed to project someone born in India as the Prime Ministerial candidate and not the Italian-born Sonia Gandhi, who had entered party politics and replaced Kesri as Congress President.

In June 1999, Pawar and Sangma founded the Nationalist Congress Party. His party had to align with the Congress party to form a coalition government in Maharashtra as neither party could win an absolute majority on its own in the 1999 assembly elections. Pawar, however, did not return to state politics, and Vilasrao Deshmukh of the Congress was chosen as Chief Minister, with Chagan Bhujbal representing the NCP as his deputy. The alliance has endured at the national and state level to this day.

After 2004 Lok Sabha elections, he joined the United Progressive Alliance government headed by Manmohan Singh as the Minister of Agriculture.

On November 29, 2005, he was elected President of Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).

He was appointed Union Minister of Agriculture and of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution on May 28, 2009

In Jan 2012, He announced that he will not contest the next Lok Sabha election (Upcoming in 2014) and make way for a younger leadership, a move that is bound to create a stir in his party as well as the Congress.^[10] Al though at 71, his retirement plans put the focus on the claims of his nephew Ajit Pawar as also daughter Supriya Sule.

Links with criminals[link]

In 2002–03, the then Maharashtra Chief Minister Sudhakarrao made a statement that the state leader of Indian National Congress party and erstwhile Chief Minister Sharad Pawar, had asked him to "go easy on Pappu Kalani", a well known criminal-turned-politician now.^[11] Shiv Sena Chief, Bal Thakare, had later concurred with these allegations.^[12] Further, Sudhakarrao also alleged that it was possible that Kalani and Hitendra Thakur, another criminal-turned-politician from Virar, had been given tickets to contest election for Maharashtra State Legislature at the behest of Sharad Pawar who also put in a word for Naik with the police when the latter was arrested for his role in post-Babri Masjid Demolition riots in Mumbai.^[13]

Sharad Pawar is also alleged to have close links with the underworld don Dawood Ibrahim^[14] through Ibrahim's henchman Lakhan Singh based in the Middle East and close relationship with Shahid Balwa, also a suspect in the 2G spectrum scam. These allegations were strengthened by the revelation about Balwa's business partner, Vinod Goenka's controversial commercial project in Yerawada, Pune, being constructed on the same survey number as Pawar's family friend, Atul Chordia, had constructed the Panchshil Tech Park. Khadse alleged that it was Balwa who had applied for environmental clearance for the two projects, a charge that Chordia refuted. Coincidentally, Chordia's Panchshil Pvt Ltd has Pawar's daughter, Supriya Sule, and her husband Sadanand as investors.^[15] The state government's decision to hand over a 3-acre plot of the Yerawada police station for "re-development" to Balwa's construction was retracted following Balwa's arrest.

Criticism and allegations of corruption[link]

Stamp-Paper Scam Connection Controversy[link]

Abdul Karim Telgi cited Pawar's name in relation to the 600 billion rupee stamp-paper scam, during a narcoanalysis filmed by various Indian news channels, wherein he also mentioned Chhagan Bhujbal^[16]

Controversial Wheat Imports[link]

In 2007, the BJP asked for Pawar's resignation after alleging he was involved in a multi-crore scam involving wheat imports. In May 2007 a tender floated by the Food Corporation of India for procurement of wheat was cancelled when the lowest bid received was for 263 USD/ton. The government subsequently allowed private traders to purchase wheat directly from farmers that year resulting in a paucity of wheat to stock FCI granaries. By July 2007 the shortage at FCI was large enough to require import of wheat at a much higher price of 320–360 USD/ton. Taking advantage of this, traders who had domestically purchased wheat at 900 INR/ton earlier, were now offering the same to FCI at 1,300 INR/ton.^[17][18]

Land Allotment[link]

On October 27, 2007, the Bombay High Court served notices to institutions headed by Sharad Pawar, Ajit Pawar and Sadanand Sule (Sharad Pawar's son-in-law) along with a corresponding notice served to the Maharashtra Krishna Valley Development Corporation (MKVDC) on why special privileges were given to Pawar and his family. This was done in consideration of a Public Interest Litigation No. 148 of 2006, filed by Shamsunder Potare alleging that the land said allocations in Pune, made in 2002, were illegal. The institutions and properties mentioned include:

• Two 141.15-acre (0.5712 km²) plots given allotted to Vidya Pratishthan, an educational society headed by Sharad Pawar
• A 2-acre (8,100 m²) plot allotted to Anant Smriti Pratishthan, headed by Ajit Pawar, the Maharashtra state minister for irrigation and Sharad Pawar's nephew
• A 130,000 square metre (32.12 acre) plot allotted to Lavasa Corporation, owned by Sadanand Sule, Sharad Pawar's son-in-law at the time. He handed over his stake in 2006.
• A 1-acre (4,000 m²) plot allotted to Shivajinagar Agriculture College
• A 3-acre (12,000 m²) plot allotted to Sharadchandraji Scout and Guide Training Institute

These allocations were made allegedly under NCP leader and minister Ramraje Naik Nimbalkar who was in charge of MKVDC at the time.^[19][20] Sharad Pawar was served a contempt of court notice on May 1, 2008 in connection with this case for issuing statements to the press even though the matter was subjudice at the time, that was later rejected by the court. Also in connection with the case, the respondents were directed not to create third-party interests in the property under dispute and to undertake any developments at their own risk.^[21][22]

IPL Exemption From Tax Controversy[link]

In 2010, In case of IPL exemption from tax, Shiv Sena MLA Subhash Desai had alleged that state cabinet decided in January this year to impose the tax, before this year's IPL season started, but the decision was not implemented because of NCP chief Sharad Pawar's association with BCCI.^[23] Bombay High Court on August 2010 said there was "nothing on record" to show that the Union Minister influenced the Maharashtra government's decision to exempt Indian Premier League matches from entertainment tax.^[24]

Controversy Faced After Assets Declaration[link]

In 2011, Sharad Pawar declared his assets to be worth 12 crore as part of a mandatory disclosure, but his critics claimed that his wealth far exceeded the stated amount.^[25][26] In 2010, it was alleged that the Pawar family indirectly held a 16% stake in the City Corporation, which had bid 1176 crore for the IPL Pune franchise. Pawar and his family denied the allegations, but the IPL bidder's board resolution contradicted their claims.^[27][28][29]

Nira Radia's Controversial Allegations[link]

In 2011, Under investigation of 2G spectrum scam Corporate Nira Radia has told the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) that Union agriculture minister Sharad Pawar may be controlling the controversial DB Realty, media reports said on Thursday. According to the reports, she also told the investigative agency that he may have spoken with former telecom minister A Raja about the allocation of spectrum and licence to Swan Telecom. Radia also said that she had no documentary proof to back up her allegation.^[30] Pawar has denied any link with former DB managing director Shahid Balwa who is now in CBI custody.

Criticism Faced After Extreme Hike in Prices of Agricultural Produce[link]

As the Cabinet Minister for Agriculture, Pawar was consistently accused of being incapable of handling the extreme hike in prices of agricultural produce:

• Wheat import in 2007 – Bombay High Court issued notices to Union agriculture minister Sharad Pawar, questioning the decision to import defective red wheat and to submit details of procurement of the crop from different states and the exact process of importing it.^[31]
• Sugar prices in 2009 – Opposition parties, including the BJP and the CPI(M) accused Sharad Pawar of engineering a steep rise in the price of sugar to the advantage of hoarders and importers.^[32]
• Onion prices in 2010–11 – The opposition have accused him to be responsible on the same issue.^[33][34][35]

Slapping Incident[link]

This section's representation of one or more viewpoints about a controversial issue may be unbalanced or inaccurate. Please improve the article or discuss the issue on the talk page.(December 2011)

Pawar was slapped by a youth named Harvinder Singh at a the New Delhi Municipal Corporation centre while leaving the premises after attending a literary function on 24 November 2011.^[36] The attacker, who previously is said to have assaulted former telecom minister Sukh Ram, was later arrested.

Motivation[link]

Harvinder Singh is an auto-rickshaw driver and has no political affiliations. He said after slapping Pawar in Hindi that 'He is a thief, they are all thieves'. He said that he slapped Pawar because of corruption and price-rise.

Reactions[link]

All leading political parties in India condemned the attack.^[37] Some politicians argued that violence should not be used as a means of raising concern.^[38][39]

The youth who slapped Pawar was highly praised on YouTube^[40] by common people, however politicians argued that violence should not be used as a means of raising concern.^[38][39] There were also several fan pages created on Facebook.^[41][42] There were parallels drawn with revolutionary and martyr Bhagat Singh,^[43] and pages advocating the shaming of more corrupt politicians.^[44]

India Today reported that the opinion of its online readers was in favour of further shaming of corrupt people holding public office.^[45] There was also widespread criticism of the NCP's call for a bandh.^[46][47] DNA India's readers also praised the^[48] attack on Sharad Pawar and expressed happiness that someone of them did this to a corrupt politician like Pawar.

The Times of India reported that Harvinder has been attacked multiple times, since being released from police custody once on January 15 and then again on February 25.^[49]

Kolaveri parody[link]

A parody of Why This Kolaveri Di, a track from a Tamil movie '3' which is honored by YouTube with a Gold Award for getting the most number of hits,^[50] based on the Sharad Pawar slapping incident, known as "Chamaat Song"^[51] (Slap Song) was posted on YouTube . This track is listed in "Top 10 Versions of 'Kolaveri Di' Song"^[52] by the Times of India. The track received 964,729 hits by evening of 2 December 2011, within a week of its release on 25 November.^[53]

Promotion of Endosulfan[link]

Even though Endosulfan has been banned, India is the only one country which is against global banning of Endosulfan. In spite of its known negative health effects, Sharad Pawar made a remark that Endosulfan is not yet proved dangerous. This remark prompted activist Vandana Shiva to call him a corrupt minister.^[54][55][56]

Sports Administration[link]

Pawar has interests in kabbadi, kho kho, wrestling and football. He has served as the head of various sports organizations, including

• Mumbai Cricket Association
• Maharashtra Wrestling Association
• Maharashtra Kabbadi Association
• Maharashtra Kho Kho Association
• Maharastra Olympics Association
• Board of Control for Cricket in India President 2005–2008
• International Cricket Council Vice President^[57]
• International Cricket Council President^[58]

Pawar was president of Pune International Marathon Trust, which host Pune International Marathon for last 22 years.

The Annual Cycling race from Bombay to Pune, is also held c/o. him. Its usually on the Sunday closest to his birthday, 12 Dec.

See also[link]

• Ajit Pawar, Dy. Chief Minister of Maharashtra and MLA, his nephew.
• Supriya Sule, his daughter, MP Loksabha.

References[link]