RED-FACED PAWAR

The ever-alert Sharad Pawar was proved wrong twice in the past two weeks. First, author James W. Laine trashed Pawar’s theory that the late Babasaheb Purandare was the source for his (Laine’s) ‘derogatory remarks’ on Chhatrapati Shivaji in his 2003 book. Second, the Pune rural police withdrew a case against Sambhaji Bhide for the Koregaon-Bhima violence, citing lack of evidence. Pawar had first named Bhide as a conspirator. Both Purandare and Bhide were associated with the RSS, for which Pawar has no love lost.