Mumbai, July 2 (IANS) Opposition members on Thursday staged a walkout from the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly after Speaker Rajesh Narwekar rejected an adjournment motion aimed at discussing the escalating crisis of farmer suicides in the state. Alongside agrarian distress, the Opposition forcefully raised concerns over a Congress MLA Sajid Pathan receiving death threats from the notorious Bishnoi gang.

Congress Legislature Party Leader, Vijay Wadettiwar moved the adjournment motion demanding an immediate, comprehensive debate on the agricultural crisis.

He highlighted the deeply alarming news of two recent farmer suicides in Latur during the ongoing Monsoon Session of the state legislature. He demanded that the Maharashtra government clarify its stance on the matter immediately.

The Opposition accused the government of ignoring critical issues, including agricultural distress, mounting financial crises, and the ongoing spate of farmer suicides, which they argued warranted an urgent and detailed debate in the House.

Wadettiwar demanded that the state government immediately clarify its stance and introduce relief measures. He strongly criticised the administration, accusing it of turning a blind eye to a compounding series of farmer suicides driven by mounting financial distress.

Further, the session grew highly tense when Wadettiwar brought up a serious security threat involving Congress MLA Sajid Pathan. According to Wadettiwar, MLA Pathan has once again received extortion and death threats from the Bishnoi gang. He demanded a thorough investigation into the threats and insisted that the government immediately upgrade Pathan’s security detail.

Taking a jab at the administration’s security allocation priorities, Wadettiwar remarked, “Director Rohit Shetty has been given 25 security guards. Similar, heavy security must be immediately extended to our Congress MLAs who are facing active gang threats.”

Responding to the security concerns, the Speaker affirmed that the safety of elected representatives remains the absolute responsibility of the state government.

The Speaker assured the House that necessary protection would be allocated based on threat assessments. However, the assurance failed to pacify the Opposition Benches.

Reaffirming that the plight of Maharashtra’s struggling farmers remains their foremost priority, the Opposition members walked out of the House in protest against the Speaker’s decision to deny a structured debate on the agricultural crisis.

–IANS

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