Mumbai: Congress’ Nana Patole was suspended from the state assembly on Tuesday for a day after he climbed onto the podium of Speaker Rahul Narwekar and approached his desk to protest against the alleged anti-farmer remarks made by agriculture minister Manikrao Kokate and BJP MLA Babanrao Lonikar.The opposition boycotted the proceedings of the House for the rest of the day. Significantly, Patole has earlier served as Speaker of the state assembly.On Tuesday, Patole spoke out in the assembly against the alleged anti-farmer remarks and demanded an apology from chief minister Devendra Fadnavis. “Farmers in the state will not tolerate the insulting statements from Kokate and Lonikar. Fadnavis should apologise to the farmers. Prime Minister Modi may be your father but cannot be the father of farmers,” Patole said.Even as Narwekar reprimanded him for unparliamentary language, Patole climbed the podium in the assembly and approached the desk of the Speaker along with Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar. As MLAs from the ruling party and the opposition shouted slogans against each other, Narwekar adjourned the assembly for five minutes.When the assembly reconvened and the protests continued, Fadnavis rose to demand that Patole apologise to Narwekar. “Voicing feelings is one thing, but rushing towards the Speaker is totally inappropriate. We are seeing this for the first time. Patole has been Speaker himself. He should apologise,” he said. However, Patole once again approached Narwekar’s desk and continued to raise slogans. Narwekar then announced his suspension for a day. Lonikar had recently told farmers in Jalna district that “people who criticise our party and government should know they are getting clothes, shoes, mobile phones and monetary benefits of schemes because of us.”Kokate, who belongs to the NCP, had claimed that farmers spent the money received from loan waivers on weddings. “One rupee is something even beggars don’t accept but the government is giving crop insurance for that sum. This is being misused by some,” he had said.Later, while addressing a press conference, Patole said, “I will raise my voice for farmers even if I am suspended daily.”
