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"I still have another one-and-half years left in the Rajya Sabha… Need to think about whether I should continue further. I don’t want to contest any more elections now," the ‘young’ octogenarian, sharp and sprightly as ever, said at a ‘Swabhiman’ poll rally in Shirsuphal village for his grand-nephew Yugendra S. Pawar of NCP-SP, who is contesting against his uncle Nationalist Congress Party President and Deputy CM Ajit A. Pawar from the prestigious Baramati Assembly constituency in one of the most avidly watched poll battles in the November 20 Maharashtra Assembly elections.

His sudden announcement seemed to have left others on the dais shocked, while the crowds raised and waved their arms in protest.

Sharad Pawar gently and gratefully acknowledged how the people of Baramati (in Pune) had consistently elected him to Assembly Lok Sabha for a record 14 times, and he served as CM (4 times) and Union Minister (several times), besides handling other prestigious domestic and global assignments.

He also referred to how other family members like his daughter Supriya Sule-Pawar plus her cousin Ajit A. Pawar were also generously supported by Baramatikars who have now made the Lok Sabha and Assembly seats as the invincible political bastions of the formidable Pawar clan.

“I worked here for 25 years, and later handed over to Ajit A. Pawar. I have no grudge against him, he led the Baramati (assembly) seat for nearly 30 years… Now it is time for me to prepare a young, dynamic leadership which can take over for the next three decades," said the senior Pawar, who has spent over six decades in hyper-active public life.

He said that Yugendra S. Pawar was fielded with this specific aim in mind - adding in his characteristic, simple but effective words: "I am not seeking your votes… You have always been magnanimous with all the Pawars in this. But, we have to look ahead now at the future."

The NCP-SP supremo’s unexpected assertions could prove to be soothing music for the flustered Ajit Pawar who has been publicly clamouring in the past couple of years for his uncle (Sharad Pawar) to retire and sit at home to make way for others and guide the gen-next, like a ‘marg-darshak’ (mentor).

Indirectly imparting some political ‘gyan’ to the younger breed of Pawars, the wizened but wily Sharad Pawar emphatically pointed out that politics is not "all about winning elections and bagging power", but a tool to do something for larger public welfare.

"Whenever you elected me, I always thought of giving something or the other for the betterment of the people…Through one project, the masses here got water supply, and another dairy cooperative scheme ensured one lakh litres of milk production. The Dynamix Dairy came here where eight lakh litres of milk is processed daily. When farmers were in crises, they were provided with alternatives," said Pawar, touching upon some of his contributions to his home base.

He added that on Wednesday, he would join Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha) Rahul Gandhi, and Shiv Sena-UBT President Uddhav Thackeray at a major poll rally in Mumbai, then proceed to Nagpur to canvass in Vidarbha region.

The 83-year-old veteran Maratha - who has undertaken gruelling canvassing both in the Lok Sabha and upcoming Assembly elections - will wind up with his final poll rally again for Yugendra S. Pawar in Baramati on November 18.

--IANS

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Speaking on the occasion, President Murmu said that India, being a blessed land of Dharma has been home to many masters and mystics, seers and seekers, who have shown the humankind a way to find peace inside and harmony outside.

“The Buddha holds a unique place among these pathfinders. The enlightenment of Siddhartha Gautama under the Bodhi tree in Bodh Gaya is an event unparalleled in history. He not only attained incomparably rich insights into the working of the human mind, he also chose to share them with all people in the spirit of “Bahujana sukhaya bahujana hitaya cha” – for the welfare of the masses,” she told the gathering.

The President said that today the world is facing an existential crisis on many fronts and in such circumstances, the large Buddhist community has much to offer to humankind.

“The various schools of Buddhism show the world how to counter narrow sectarianism. Their central message remains focused on peace and non-violence. If one word can capture the Buddha Dhamma, it has to be ‘karuna’ or compassion, which is what the world needs today”, she remarked.

Emphasizing on the preservation of Buddha’s teachings, she said that she was happy to note that the government has granted the status of ‘classical language’ to Pali and Prakrit, among other languages. She said that Pali and Prakrit would now receive financial support, which will contribute significantly to the preservation of their literary treasures and to their revitalisation.

President Murmu further said that there was a need to discuss the role of Buddha Dharma in strengthening the Asian continent.

“We need to expand the discussion to see how Buddha Dharma can bring peace, real peace, to Asia and the world – a peace free from not only physical violence but also from all forms of greed and hatred – the two mental forces at the root of all our miseries, according to the Buddha,” she pointed out.

She expressed confidence that the Summit will go a long way in strengthening our cooperation, based on our shared heritage of the Buddha’s teachings.

--IANS

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The mobile vans belong to the National Co-operative Consumers' Federation of India (NCCF), the National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India Ltd (NAFED) and Kendriya Bhandar.

As part of the government’s policy to keep inflation under control, Bharat Atta is being made available to consumers at MRP of Rs 30 per kg and Bharat Rice at MRP of Rs 34 per kg.

While interacting with media persons during the event, Joshi said, “the initiative is an affirmation of the Government of India’s commitment towards ensuring the availability of essential food items to the consumers at subsidised prices. Direct interventions through retail sale of basic food items under Bharat Brand such as rice, atta and dal have helped in maintaining a stable price regime.”

Bharat Atta and Bharat Rice will be available at stores and mobile vans of Kendriya Bhandar, NAFED and NCCF and e-commerce /big chain retailers. ‘Bharat’ brand Atta and Rice will be sold in 5 Kg and 10 Kg bags during phase 2, according to an official statement.

In the initial stage of Phase 2, 3.69 lakh metric tonnes (LMT) of wheat and 2.91 LMT of rice are being made available for retail sale. During Phase – I, around 15.20 LMT of Bharat Atta and 14.58 LMT Bharat Rice was made available to general consumers at subsidised rates.

Providing an update on the procurement of paddy in Punjab, the Union Minister said that the Central Government stands committed “to achieve the targeted procurement estimate of 184 LMT in Punjab and procure every single grain brought to mandis by the farmers.”

As of November 4, a total quantity of 104.63 LMT of paddy has arrived in the Punjab mandis, out of which 98.42 LMT had been procured by state agencies and FCI. The paddy is being purchased at MSP of Rs 2,320 per quintal as decided by the Government of India for Grade ‘A’ paddy, the minister said.

The total paddy purchased by the central government till date in the ongoing kharif marketing season 2024-25, amounts to Rs 20,557 crore. This has benefited 5.38 lakh farmers and the MSP amount has been credited to their bank accounts, Joshi added.

--IANS

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