Mumbai, July 1 (IANS) The Maharashtra Legislative Assembly Speaker, Rahul Narvekar, on Tuesday suspended former Speaker and senior Congress legislator Nana Patole for a day for rushing to the podium demanding action against Agriculture Minister Manikrao Kokate and BJP legislator Babanrao Lonikar for making insensitive statements against the farmers.

After the question hour was over, Patole raised the issue, saying that Agriculture Minister Kokate and BJP legislator Lonikar have repeatedly targeted farmers by making derogatory statements, and they should be reprimanded and asked to apologise.

He and former Leader of Opposition (LoP) Vijay Wadettiwar rushed to the podium demanding action. They were later joined by other opposition members who rose to their feet to protest against the ‘insensitive’ statements of Kokate and Lonikar and raised slogans.

Amid ruckus, the Speaker adjourned the House for five minutes. After the House reassembled, Speaker Rahul Narvekar warned Nana Patole and reminded him of the ruling in his capacity as the Speaker given in the past for snatching the mace placed on the podium. He also asked Nana Patole not to provoke the chair for resorting to stern action. However, despite repeated warnings, Nana Patole continued with his protest and sloganeering, demanding action against Kokate and Lonikar.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis intervened, saying that it is inappropriate on the part of Nana Patole to directly rush to the podium and target the Speaker.

He demanded that Nana Patole, who had been the Speaker earlier, should tender an apology to the chair. But Nana Patole stuck to his guns, refusing to apologise.

Amid the slogan shouting by the opposition, Speaker Rahul Narvekar said that their behaviour was not acceptable, and he will continue with the day’s proceedings. Thereafter, the Speaker reminded his predecessor that he had already announced his ruling suspending him for a day.

In support of Nana Patole, the opposition continued raising slogans demanding action against Kokate and Lonikar. They later staged a noisy walkout and declared to boycott the proceedings of the House for the entire day in protest against Nana Patole’s suspension and the state government’s refusal to reprimand the agriculture minister and the BJP legislator.

Once outside, the opposition leaders continued sloganeering, condemning the derogatory statements by the agriculture minister and the BJP legislator against the farmers. They reiterated their demand for action against them.

Nana Patole and Shiv Sena(UBT) legislator Bhaskar Jadhav said that they will no longer accept the insult to the farmers by the ruling MahaYuti leaders.

–IANS

sj/dpb