Power Struggles Over PMLA: Sharad Pawar's Concerns Resurface

Sharad Pawar, president of NCP (SP), revisited his earlier warnings against the Prevention of Money Laundering Act's (PMLA) controversial amendments during the UPA regime, arguing it has been weaponized by successive governments. His comments came while launching 'Narkatla Swarg,' a Marathi book detailing MP Sanjay Raut's prison ordeal.

Pawar recounted alerting then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh about the potential dangers of P Chidambaram's PMLA amendment proposal. He highlighted the drastic misuse of the law once the government shifted, leading to arrests within opposition ranks, including that of Chidambaram under BJP rule.

Citing the extensive crackdown on opposition leaders, Pawar urged future amendments to the law with changing governments, stressing equitable state and central powers. TMC's Saket Gokhale and Shiv Sena's Uddhav Thackeray echoed these sentiments, critiquing the central power dynamics.

(With inputs from agencies.)