Congress MLA Nana Patole was suspended from the Maharashtra assembly for a day on Tuesday after he climbed the speaker's podium, demanding action against Bharatiya Janata Party MLA Babanrao Lonikar and Agriculture Minister Manikrao Kokate for allegedly 'insulting' farmers.
The Congress and other opposition members staged a walkout from the assembly after the action against former speaker Patole, announcing a boycott of proceedings for the entire day.
Later, a defiant Patole told reporters that he will not back down from raising the issues concerning farmers, even if it meant facing suspension from the House every day.
Lonkiar recently told a gathering of farmers in his assembly constituency Partur in Jalna district that 'people who criticise his party and government should know they are getting clothes, shoes, mobile, monetary benefits of schemes and money for sowing because of us'.
Kokate had claimed farmers spent loan waiver money on weddings.
One rupee is something even beggars don't accept but the government is giving crop insurance for that sum, which is being misused by some persons, the agriculture minister had said.
Soon after the Question Hour on Tuesday, Patole demanded action against Lonikar and Kokate for 'insulting' farmers.
He came on the podium and was seen arguing with Speaker Rahul Narwekar.
The House was subsequently adjourned for five minutes.
When the proceedings reconvened, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis criticised Patole, saying the Congress leader moved aggressively towards the speaker, which is not right and is not expected from him.
Patole should apologise, he said.
However, Patole again climbed the speaker's podium and demanded action against Lonikar and Kokate.
The speaker then announced that he was suspending Patole from the House for the entire day.
Marking July 1 as Farmers' Day, Patole later hit out at the BJP-led state government, accusing it of neglecting and disrespecting cultivators.
"I will continue to raise the issues of farmers in the House daily, even if I am suspended daily," the former state Congress chief told reporters outside the House in the Vidhan Bhavan premises.
Unseasonal rains, loan waiver, crop insurance and farmer bonuses are the real concerns. The government made promises but has not delivered, he claimed.
"As long as no action is taken against BJP MLA Babanrao Lonikar and Agriculture Minister Manikrao Kokate for their alleged derogatory remarks about farmers, and unless CM Fadnavis apologises to farmers, we will not sit quietly," Patole asserted.
The BJP government announced a bonus for farmers, but never paid it. They have shut down the crop insurance scheme as well. Instead of supporting farmers, the ruling party leaders are insulting them, Patole alleged.
"Lonikar said 'farmers live on our money', is this not insulting the very people who feed us?" he asked.
"I have served as the speaker of this assembly...I understand the rules and procedures. I do not need a certificate from Devendra Fadnavis to tell me whether I respect the Chair or not," Patole said.
Members of the Congress and other constituents of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) staged a walkout from the assembly, announcing a boycott of the proceedings for the entire day.
They alleged the ruling side does not allow the opposition to speak on farmers' issues and punishes those who try to do so.
Nationalist Congress Party-Sharadchandra Pawar MLA Jitendra Awhad defended Patole, claiming the Congress leader was not even close to the speaker's chair.
"Those who are now in power used to storm the well of the House when they were in the opposition. I have seen them surround the speaker over various issues. Today, when we raise genuine concerns, we are suspended," he said.
Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar pointed to the ongoing farmers' protests against the proposed Nagpur-Goa Shaktipeeth Expressway in 12 districts.
"While farmers protest on streets, the state agriculture minister makes remarks against them, and BJP MLA Lonikar uses the language of favours. The government's silence indicates its support for these statements," he claimed.
"The struggle for farmers will continue. Even if they send us to jail, we are ready to fight for farmers," Wadettiwar added.
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