Dig Day 2: Pawar says govt should keep off 'gold hunt'

We are against people who seek to propagate such message, says Pawar. (IE Photo)

Excavation by archaeologists continued for the second day Saturday to hunt for the "dream" 1,000 tonnes golden treasure supposed to be buried under the ruins of a 19th century fort.
The work started at 10 am and excavation is being carried out by local workers under the supervision of four to five members of the Archaeological Survey of India, Sub Divisional Magistrate Vijay Shanker Dubey said.
Expressing strong displeasure with the ongoing excavation, NCP president and Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar Saturday said government agencies should not participate in the hunt based on a "dream" of a seer as it would give rise to superstitions.
"We are against such activities and against people who seek to propagate such message," Pawar said.
"The government agencies should not participate in such work. Nothing will fall in the hands but the message will go out among the people that government is evincing interest. This will lead to rise in superstition in society," he added.
Meanwhile, in view of the huge turnout of curious onlookers, additional forces have been deployed on the spot, Additional Superintendent of Police Sarvanand Singh said. The excavation work is being carried out at the fort of king Raja Rao Ram Bux Singh in Unnao's Dondiya Kheda village by a 12-member team from the ASI, led by its Deputy Director P K Mishra.
The gold rush was triggered after seer Shobhan Sarkar claimed that the Raja had appeared to him in a dream and told him that 1,000 tonnes of gold lay buried in the ruins of the fort