Mumbai, July 21 (IANS) Maharashtra Congress President Harshvardhan Sapkal on Monday lashed out at the Maharashtra government over the Agriculture Minister playing online rummy in the Assembly, and asked the Chief Minister to take strict action against the minister.

“While six farmers commit suicide daily in the state, the state’s Agriculture Minister was playing online rummy in the Assembly. This is an embarrassment to Maharashtra. The ministers have no awareness, and MLAs and officials have become thugs and goons, but the Chief Minister and both Deputy Chief Ministers are unable to bring these arrogant people under control. Those who only take action against the opposition should show the guts to take strict action against the shameless Agriculture Minister and the hooligan office bearers,” he said.

While attacking the government, Sapkal said that after the clash in the Assembly building, the Chief Minister said the MLAs were arrogant, but not only MLAs, ministers and office bearers have become arrogant.

“The Agriculture Minister sometimes calls the farmers beggars and sometimes insults them, saying that farmers’ daughters get married from the loan waiver money, and meanwhile, this gentleman was sitting playing rummy in the Assembly. To protest against this incident, the Chhava organisation submitted a memorandum and a card set to NCP State President Sunil Tatkare in Latur, which is a way of protest. But the hooligans deployed by Ajit Pawar brutally beat those protesters; where does this arrogance come from?” he asked.

“Power has gone to their heads, but such intoxication of power does not last long. This issue is now being protested, but what use is a hollow protest? Send the Agriculture Minister home and jail these arrogant street goons,” demanded Sapkal.

Sapkal said that Congress raised a serious allegation in the Assembly that some ministers and officials in the state have been caught in a honeytrap, but the Chief Minister denied it.

“As usual, the Chief Minister blatantly lied. The threads of this honeytrap reach very close to the BJP. A photo of a person related to the honeytrap with a minister very close to the Chief Minister has come to light, which has deepened the seriousness of the case. The government is trying to suppress this issue, but a high-level inquiry into the honeytrap should be conducted,” he added.

–IANS

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