Patole suspended from assembly for a day

All opposition parties barring the Samajwadi Party opposed the action and boycotted the proceedings of the assembly for the entire day

Mumbai: Former state assembly speaker and senior Congress leader Nana Patole was on Thursday suspended from the legislative assembly for a day for climbing onto the Speaker’s podium while demanding an apology from state agriculture minister Manikrao Kokate and BJP MLA Babanrao Lonikar. All opposition parties barring the Samajwadi Party opposed the action and boycotted the proceedings of the assembly for the entire day.

Congress MLA Nana Patole at Vidhan Bhavan (Anshuman Poyrekar/ Hindustan Times)

Both Kokate and Lonikar have made objectionable comments about farmers, comparing them with beggars and saying they were getting “clothes, shoes, mobiles and monetary benefits” because of them.

As proceedings commenced in the assembly on the second day of the monsoon session on Tuesday, Patole, who represents the Sakoli assembly constituency in Nagpur, along with other opposition members sought an apology from Kokate and Lonikar for their statements insulting farmers.

When proceedings resumed after a short break, opposition members started raising slogans demanding an apology from the agriculture minister. Speaker Rahul Narwekar tried to calm them down, but then Patole climbed onto the Speaker’s podium, demanding action against Kokate.

Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, who was present in the house, objected to Patole’s behaviour, saying, “Approaching the speaker like this is not appropriate and Patole should apologise to him.”

Subsequently, Narwekar said he was suspending Nana Patole for the entire day so that the assembly proceedings could continue, prompting all opposition parties except the SP to boycott the proceedings.

Speaking to reporters later in the Vidhan Bhavan premises, Patole said he was ready to get suspended again and again for the sake of farmers.

“Until the agriculture minister and Lonikar do not face action and CM Fadnavis doesn’t apologise, I will not stop. I will raise my voice for farmers and am ready to get suspended on a daily basis,” he said.

Patole, the former speaker of the state assembly, held the position during the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government between December 2019 and February 2021.