Archive · 11 Aug 2026
Pawar-led NCP MPs seek Bharat Ratna for Maharashtra icons
A group of eight Members of Parliament, or MPs, went to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi.
These MPs belong to a political party led by Sharad Pawar.
They asked the Prime Minister to give India's special award, the Bharat Ratna, to four great people from the state of Maharashtra.
Those people are Jyotirao Phule, Savitribai Phule, Annabhau Sathe and Sant Tukdoji Maharaj.
They are remembered for working to make society fairer for everyone.
The MPs also asked for help with things like water for farms, a railway line and naming an airport.
They wanted more financial help for MPs to support farmers and their areas.
The meeting lasted only about half an hour.
It happened at a time when the government is trying to get more support to pass new laws in Parliament.
A delegation of eight MPs from the Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SP) met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday at the Prime Minister's Office.
The MPs sought the Bharat Ratna for Mahatma Jyotirao Phule, Savitribai Phule, Annabhau Sathe and Sant Tukdoji Maharaj.
The delegation raised state issues including release of Ujani Dam water for Beed, the Nashik-Pune railway line and naming Navi Mumbai airport after late leader DY Patil.
The MPs also asked for farmers' issues to be addressed and sought an increase in financial assistance under the PM CARES Fund for MPs.
The roughly 30-minute meeting came as the Centre seeks opposition support to pass the Delimitation and FCRA Bills in the final week of the monsoon session.
- Who
- A delegation of eight MPs from the Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SP), including Supriya Sule and Amol Kolhe, who met Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
- What
- The MPs sought the Bharat Ratna for four Maharashtra icons and raised development issues such as water release, a railway line, airport naming and financial assistance for MPs.
- When
- Monday, in the final week of the monsoon session of Parliament.
- Where
- At the Prime Minister's Office in New Delhi.
- Why
- To seek national recognition for Maharashtra's social reformers and to highlight constituency and state-level development concerns.
- Delegation
- 8 MPs from the Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SP)
- Bharat Ratna sought for
- Mahatma Jyotirao Phule, Savitribai Phule, Annabhau Sathe, Sant Tukdoji Maharaj
- Key state demands
- Ujani Dam water for Beed, Nashik-Pune railway line, Navi Mumbai airport named after DY Patil
- Financial demand
- Increase in financial assistance under PM CARES Fund for MPs
- Meeting duration
- About 30 minutes
- Location
- Prime Minister's Office, New Delhi
- Political context
- Centre seeking opposition support for the Delimitation and FCRA Bills