Congress MLA and former Maharashtra Assembly Speaker Nana Patole was suspended from the Assembly for a day on Tuesday following his controversial remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and farmers during a heated exchange over statements made by BJP leaders about farmers.
Patole climbed onto the Speaker’s podium, demanding action against BJP MLA Babanrao Lonikar and Agriculture Minister Manikrao Kokate for their recent comments, which he alleged were derogatory towards farmers.
The incident unfolded during a session of the state legislature, where Patole referred to certain recent remarks by Lonikar and Kokate that had sparked outrage. Addressing the House, Patole accused the two leaders of repeatedly insulting the farming community. He demanded that Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis issue an apology in the Assembly on behalf of the government for the offensive statements made against farmers.
Expressing his anger from the floor of the House, Patole said, “Babanrao Lonikar and Agriculture Minister Manikrao Kokate are constantly insulting farmers. The food provider will not tolerate this insult. The Chief Minister should apologise to the farmers in the House. Modi may be your father, but he cannot be the father of the farmers.”
His comment drew sharp objections from the ruling benches, especially from Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. The session quickly descended into chaos, with members from both sides exchanging barbs.
Reacting strongly, Chief Minister Shinde condemned Patole’s remark and questioned his conduct, especially given his previous role as Speaker of the House. “Nana Patole himself has been Speaker of the Legislative Assembly. He was not getting publicity and value in Congress for the last few days. Due to this, he has done this publicity stunt. A prime minister is a prime minister for the entire country. Because of these things, people have brought Congress to 16 MLAs in the state and their number will decrease to single digit in the coming time,” Shinde said.
Devendra Fadnavis also objected to the manner in which Patole approached the Speaker’s podium, terming it unprecedented aggression. He noted that such behaviour was unbecoming of a legislator and even more inappropriate for someone who had once held the post of Speaker.
The Assembly Speaker subsequently ordered a one-day suspension for Nana Patole, citing indiscipline and violation of House decorum. Patole’s comment has since sparked political reactions both inside and outside the Assembly, with party lines clearly drawn between those defending his outburst as a passionate defence of farmers and those condemning it as disrespectful and politically motivated.
The controversy has once again brought the spotlight onto farmer-related issues in the state, as well as the increasingly charged exchanges between the ruling coalition and opposition parties in the Maharashtra Assembly. Further political reactions are expected as parties continue to debate the limits of acceptable speech and protest within the House.