MUMBAI, July 21: Maharashtra Congress president Harshwardhan Sapkal on Monday hit out at the state government, accusing ministers and office-bearers of the ruling parties of being arrogant and insensitive towards farmers’ issues.
Six farmers were committing suicide daily in Maharashtra, while Agriculture Minister Manikrao Kokate was seen playing an online game during the legislature session, Sapkal claimed while demanding immediate dismissal of the minister.
“The agriculture minister insults farmers, calls them beggars and claims they spend loan waiver amount on marriages. Now he is seen playing game on mobile. What is wrong in protesting against the minister? Arrogance of power doesn’t last long,” Sapkal said in a statement.
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Workers of the Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) beat up activists of Chhava Sanghatna on Sunday after they confronted Maharashtra unit president Sunil Tatkare and threw playing cards in front of him during his press conference in Latur.
Activists of the Chhava Sanghatna were protesting against minister Kokate after a viral video showed him purportedly playing a game of rummy on his mobile phone during the recently concluded monsoon session of the state legislature.
After NCP (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar shared Kokate’s video clip, the latter clarified he was merely skipping a downloaded game that flashed on the screen of his mobile phone in the legislative council.
Referring to the scuffle in Latur, Sapkal claimed activists from the Chhava organisation had peacefully protested by handing over a pack of playing cards to NCP state president Sunil Tatkare.
They were then assaulted by workers of the Ajit Pawar-led NCP, he alleged.
“This is not democracy, it’s mob rule. Not just MLAs, but even ministers and office-bearers have become arrogant,” Sapkal claimed.”The chief minister must show the courage to take action,” he added.The Congress leader also accused Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis of misleading the legislative assembly over alleged honeytrap incidents involving state ministers and bureaucrats.
“Photographic evidence has surfaced of individuals (connected to the honeytrap) with links to ministers who are close to the CM,” he claimed, demanding a high-level probe into the matter.
“The government should act against its own ministers and party functionaries involved in misconduct,” Sapkal demanded. (PTI)
