Union Minister Amit Shah on Friday questioned the contribution of NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar to the cooperative sector during his tenure as Union Agriculture Minister.

Speaking in Mumbai during his Maharashtra visit, Shah said, “Some leaders in Maharashtra used the cooperative sector for their benefit but never helped it,” in an apparent dig at Pawar.

He was speaking at an event organised by the Union Cooperation Ministry in collaboration with the Maharashtra government's cooperation department.

“I want to ask you Pawarsaheb... you were the agriculture minister for 10 years and the cooperation department was under your jurisdiction. Tell the people of Maharashtra, what you have done for the cooperative movement in the state, sugar mills, tax, farmers, cooperative sector. Did you resolve the tax issues or form model bylaws regarding tax?” he asked.

“Becoming a leader by marketing is not enough... you need to work on the ground,” said the BJP stalwart in a sharp attack on the veteran politician.

Amit Shah remarked that while farming was often considered unprofitable in the past, he firmly believes that combining the cooperative movement with scientific advancements can make agriculture a lucrative business even today. He explained that farmers previously relied on traditional methods and were unaware of the specific nutrient composition of their soil. When Prime Minister Modi emphasized soil testing, it revealed that farmers were using fertilizers unnecessarily or neglecting essential nutrients.