MUMBAI: Maharashtra Deputy Chief Ministers Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar found themselves in an embarrassing situation on Monday when they were not allowed to deliver their speeches during the celebration of Dr BR Ambedkar’s birth anniversary. According to the invitation issued by the state government, Governor CP Radhakrishnan, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, and Deputy Chief Ministers Shinde and Pawar were all scheduled to speak at Chaitya Bhumi on the occasion. While CM Fadnavis and the Governor successfully delivered their addresses, Shinde and Pawar were not given the opportunity to speak due to time constraints. After the programme, both deputy chief ministers immediately left the venue visibly upset without interacting with the waiting media. However, later in response to on not being allowed to speak at the Chaityabhoomi event, Shinde clarified that he was not upset about being unable to deliver his speech. He emphasised that for him, visiting Chaityabhoomi on ambedkar’s birth anniversary was the priority. “What can be more important than taking Babasaheb’s darshan at Chaityabhoomi? Taking Babasaheb’s darshan was important than that speech,” Shinde said.”We cannot forget the immense contributions of Dr ambedkar. His constitution has provided everyone with equal rights, allowing even the poorest individuals to live with dignity. On this significant day, if we can embody just one of his principles, it would be a fitting tribute to his legacy. We are not petty individuals who would get upset over small matters; we must focus on a larger goal,” he added. This was not the first instance for Pawar. During Union Minister Amit Shah’s visit to Raigad Fort in Maharashtra, he also missed the opportunity to deliver his speech because of time limitations. On sunday, Shinde had dismissed buzz of any rift within the Mahayuti and had said if there is any issue then it will be sorted out through discussions.Meanwhile, Pawar explained that he made a conscious decision to skip his speech since it was difficult to fit it into the allotted time while other leaders proceeded with theirs.
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