Pawar backs PM Modi again, says leadership must take steps to motivate soldiers

Pune (Maharashtra) [India], July 7 : A day after disengagement process began between Indian and Chinese armies at friction points Hot Springs and Gogra in Eastern Ladakh, NCP chief said that it was visible through diplomatic channels that China was in the process of withdrawing its troops and it was good.
Backing Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the way the government has handled border tensions with China, Pawar hailed his visit to Ladakh last week and said the country's leadership must take such steps to motivate soldiers.
The NCP leader said that it is beneficial if border issues can be resolved through diplomatic channels and India can mount global pressure on China.
"In 1962 war when we lost the war, Jawaharlal Nehru went there and Yashwantrao Chavan( who was appointed Defence Minister) went there. Chavan Sahab went there and he motivated the soldiers and a similar gesture was shown by our present Prime Minister this time. Whenever such a situation occurs, the country's leadership must take such steps to motivate soldiers," he said.
Pawar has backed the government even as the party's ally Congress and its leader Rahul Gandhi have been hitting out at the government over the Chinese build up in Eastern Ladakh.
Pawar had snubbed the Congress earlier also and said last month that matters of national security should not be politicised and what happened in 1962 when China occupied 45,000 square kilometres of India's territory cannot be forgotten. Congress and NCP are allies in the ruling coalition in Maharashtra.
Talking to reporters in Pune on Tuesday, Pawar said that there were agreements between India and China and shots were not fired by any side during the recent face-offs.
Pawar also recalled the all-party meeting called by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and said he had stated that the government should try to solve the issue through diplomatic channels.
He said if the issue can be solved without the use of weapons through diplomatic channels and "if we can create global pressure on China, it would be beneficial".
"It is visible now that through diplomatic channels they are about to withdraw troops which is good," he said.
Pawar said when he was defence minister in 1993, he went to China and an agreement was reached between the two countries.
He said it was decided that if there is difference of opinion on any issue, nobody will use weapons.
Speaking about the COVID-19 situation, Pawar said people associated with big industries have said that provisions made by the Centre were not enough.
"People related to big industries say the provisions done by the Government of India are not enough. They are still facing some problems. For example electricity bill, they are getting huge bills despite lockdown. On one side their losses are there and then such bills are troubling them. They told me about these issues. We will collect this information and will present this information before state leaders," he said.
Pawar said the pandemic has affected all the sectors.
He said Maharashtra, Gujarat and Delhi were among states and union territories more affected by the pandemic and businesses in Pune have also been badly affected.