Prime Minister Narendra Modi was on Tuesday conferred with the Lokmanya Tilak Award at a function at the SP College ground in Pune. PM Modi also held a candid conversation with NCP Chief Sharad Pawar. During the event, senior Pawar also shared the stage with his nephew Ajit Pawar and Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. PM Modi arrived in Pune on Tuesday morning and laid the foundation stone of various development projects. After his arrival, Modi also performed “pooja” at Dagdusheth Mandir. 

As per PIB, the Lokmanya Tilak National Award was constituted by Tilak Smarak Mandir Trust in 1983 to honour the legacy of Lokmanya Tilak. It is presented every year on August 1. 

August 1 marks the death anniversary of social reformer and Indian freedom activist Lokmanya Tilak. Earlier, several Opposition parties, including Shiv Sena (Uddhav) and Congress, had persuaded Pawar not to attend the Pune event.

Shiv Sena (UT) MP Arvind Sawant had said Sharad Pawar should reconsider his decision. “Leaders of their party (BJP) are destroying the Constitution of India, he (Pawar) should not go there,” PTI quoted Sawant as saying.