Nagpur, Dec 26 (PTI): Both the Houses of Maharashtra legislature were adjourned for the day on Monday after the opposition stalled the proceedings demanding Agriculture Minister Abdul Sattar’s resignation over a land ‘regularisation’ order passed by him when he was a minister in the previous MVA government.
The Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court last week issued a notice to Sattar who had ordered ‘regularisation’ of the possession of land reserved for public ‘gairan’ (grazing) in favour of a private person in the face of a civil court order.
In the Council, Nationalist Congress Party’s Eknath Khadse alleged officials of the Agriculture department were asked to collect Rs 15 crore. He showed “coupons” of various amounts and claimed officials were given “targets” to sell these coupons to agriculture stores across the state.
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Khadse demanded an inquiry alleging the “illegal collection”.
The issue was also raised outside the Houses with members of NCP, Congress, and Shiv Sena (UBT) staging a protest demanding Sattar’s removal.
In the Assembly, Opposition MLAs trooped into the Well, raised slogans, disrupted proceedings and sought Sattar’s resignation alleging irregularities in ordering the ‘regularisation’ of the possession of the said land.
Sattar passed the order in June 2022 when he was the Minister of State for Revenue in the previous Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government.
Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Ajit Pawar alleged there were irregularities worth Rs 150 crore and Sattar’s land regularisation order was in clear violation of a court order.
“The minister misused the post. He should immediately resign. If he doesn’t resign, then he should be sacked,” Pawar said.
The House was adjourned twice over the issue after an uproar from the opposition members.
Finally, at around 2 pm, the House was adjourned for the day.
In the Legislative Council, Leader of Opposition Ambadas Danve of the Shiv Sena (UBT) faction raised the land allotment by Sattar.
“The 37-acre ‘gairan’ land was regularised and allotted to a person by minister Sattar on June 17, 2022, overruling the orders of the district court and the district collector,” Danve said.
“Sattar illegally allotted plots, sand contracts, APMCs at Ratnagiri, Aurangabad, and Nagpur overruling orders of the district court. He should be immediately sacked for the illegal allotment,” Danve said.
His colleague Anil Parab demanded the Council discuss the matter on priority.
“Many illegal land allotment cases are coming to the fore since the Shinde-Fadnavis government came to power. The land allotment took place on July 17 just before the rebellion by Eknath Shinde. As per the orders of the Supreme Court, public utility land cannot be given to any person. However, Sattar did it by overruling orders of Washim district court,” Parab said and demanded Satar’s resignation from the post.
Khadse alleged officials of the Agriculture department were ordered to collect Rs 15 crore.
Showing coupons of Rs 5,000 to Rs 25,000 in the Upper House of the legislature, Khadse claimed state government officials were given targets to sell these coupons to agriculture stores across the state.
As the Opposition started raising slogans for Sattar’s resignation, Deputy chairperson Neelam Gorhe adjourned the proceedings for a day.
The HC issued a notice to Sattar after activist Shyam Deole and another person filed a petition claiming a public utility land meant for grazing measuring 37 acres was ‘regularised’ in favour of a private person.
This was done even after the claim of this private person had been rejected by the civil appellate court, said the petitioner.
On the other side, members of the ruling Shiv Sena faction of CM Eknath Shinde and Bharatiya Janata Party raised slogans demanding action against a Yuva Sena leader, without naming him, for supporting a woman who had levelled rape allegations against Lok Sabha member Rahul Shewale (of Shinde faction).
