
'Misguided': Rohit Pawar Alleges Maharashtra Minister Was Playing Rummy During Meeting
NCP MLA Rohit Pawar accused Maharashtra Minister Manikrao Kokate of playing a mobile game during an assembly session, neglecting agricultural issues and farmers' suicides.
Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Pawar faction) MLA Rohit Pawar on Sunday posted a video on social media platform X, alleging that Maharashtra Agriculture Minister Manikrao Kokate was playing a mobile game during an ongoing assembly session.
In the video, Agriculture Minister Kokate can be seen engaged with his phone while seated in the House. Rohit Pawar claimed that the state minister was playing a game called 'Rummy' at a time when serious discussions concerning farmers and agriculture were underway.
Calling Kokate 'misguided", MLA Rohit Pawar hit out at the minister for playing game amid ongoing session and not paying attention to crucial matters, including farmers' suicide and 'countless agricultural issues" in the state.
'Since the Nationalist faction in power cannot do anything without consulting the BJP, even with countless agricultural issues pending and 8 farmers committing suicide daily in the state, the Agriculture Minister, with nothing else to do, seems to have time to play rummy," he tweeted in Marathi.
Further, the MLA suggested Kokate to visit the the fields of poor farmers.
'Will these misguided ministers and the government ever hear the desperate plea of farmers demanding crop insurance, loan waivers, and price support: 'Come to the fields of poor farmers sometimes, Maharaj'?," he further wrote.
As of now, Minister Kokate has not responded publicly to the allegations.
view comments
First Published:
July 20, 2025, 11:12 IST
Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


United News of India
an hour ago
- United News of India
Will act tough against language-based violence, says CM Fadnavis
Mumbai, July 25 (UNI) Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has warned that violence in the name of language will not be tolerated. "One can take pride in the Marathi language, but assaulting others for not knowing or speaking Marathi will not be accepted. Legal action will be taken against such offenders," he stated. Fadnavis was speaking at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) in Delhi during the foundation stone laying ceremony of a new Centre for Strategic and Defence Studies named after Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and the inauguration of the Kusumagraj Chair for Marathi language studies last evening. Highlighting the significance of Marathi, Fadnavis said it is an ancient language. "It was due to our request that Prime Minister Narendra Modi granted it the status of a classical language. Pride in Marathi is natural and justified, but violence in its name will not be tolerated. Those indulging in such actions will face strict legal consequences", he said. He emphasized Marathi's contribution to the country, especially in the field of theatre. "If any language has kept Indian theatre alive across the nation, it is Marathi", he said. Fadnavis added that research and academic study of the language is vital and the Kusumagraj Chair at JNU will work towards that objective. Fadnavis also stressed the importance of respecting all Indian languages. "Every citizen must take pride in their mother tongue. However, respecting other Indian languages is also our responsibility. We easily accept English but often neglect our native languages, which is not right," he said. UNI SP PRS


News18
2 hours ago
- News18
Muslim bodies urge govt to ensure end of Israeli aggression in Gaza
New Delhi, Jul 25 (PTI) Prominent Muslim bodies and Islamic scholars on Friday appealed to the government to stand against injustice and take swift action to ensure that the 'continued Israeli aggression" in Gaza ends, asserting that India has historically aligned itself with the oppressed and it is time to reaffirm that legacy. In a joint statement, prominent Muslim organisations and Islamic scholars called on both the Indian government and global powers to intervene and stop the 'continuing atrocities" in Gaza. 'We, the undersigned leaders of Muslim organisations in India, Islamic scholars and peace-loving citizens strongly condemn the deepening genocide and humanitarian catastrophe unfolding in Gaza. On behalf of over 200 million Indian Muslims and all peace-loving citizens of our beloved country, we express our unwavering support and solidarity with the people of Palestine," the statement said. 'We appeal to the government of India, international leaders, and people of conscience worldwide to stand against the injustice and take swift action to end the continued Israeli aggression," it said. 'The relentless assault on the Palestinian people has taken the form of a brutal genocide, characterised by systematic destruction of homes, hospitals, schools, and refugee camps. Since October 2023, nearly 100,000 innocent Palestinians, including a significant number of women and children, have lost their lives," the statement claimed. The international community cannot afford to remain silent, it said. 'We call upon all states to sever military and economic ties with Israel and back the UN General Assembly's call to end the illegal occupation. We urge all Muslim-majority nations to put strong pressure on Israel and the US to halt this catastrophe," the statement said. 'India has historically aligned itself with the oppressed; this is the moment to reaffirm that legacy," it asserted. 'We call on the Government of India to honour its long-standing moral and diplomatic tradition by standing firmly with the Palestinian people in their struggle. India must denounce Israel's brutal actions, halt all military and strategic cooperation with it, and actively back global efforts to ensure peace and stability in the region," the statement said. The statement was signed by Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind president Maulana Arshad Madani, All India Muslim Personal Law Board president Maulana Khalid Saifullah Rahmani, Jamaat-e-Islami Hind chief Syed Sadatullah Husaini, Markazi Jamiat Ahl-e-Hadees Maulana Ali Asghar Imam Mehdi, Fatehpuri Mosque Imam Mufti Mukarram Ahmad, and former Rajya Sabha MP Maulana Obaidullah Khan Azmi, among others. PTI ASK ARI view comments First Published: July 26, 2025, 00:45 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.


Hindustan Times
2 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Track geometry, stoppages, upkeep impact train running: Vaishnaw on Vande Bharat speed
New Delhi, The average speed of a train depends upon the geometry of the track, stoppages enroute and maintenance work in the section among others, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw told Rajya Sabha on Friday. Track geometry, stoppages, upkeep impact train running: Vaishnaw on Vande Bharat speed He was replying to a question by NCP MP Fauzia Khan who asked, "whether government is aware of the fact that the average speed of Vande Bharat trains has decreased from 84.48 kilometre per hour in 2020-21 to 76.25 kilometre per hour in 2023-24 due to incomplete track upgrade and infrastructural constraint." She also wanted to know the current status of track upgrade vis-a-vis targets and the steps taken to expedite track modernisation to enable Vande Bharat trains to run at their designated speed. Vaishnaw stated that the Vande Bharat trains currently running over the Indian Railway network are semi-high speed train services with design speed of 180 kmph and maximum operating speed of 160 kmph. "The average speed of the train depends upon geometry of the track, stoppages enroute, maintenance work in the section etc," he said. Vaishnaw added, "Upgrade and improvement of railway tracks on Indian Railways to increase the speed potential have been carried out in a big way during last 10 years. The measures for track upgrade include use of 60 kg rails, wider base concrete sleepers, thick web switches, longer rail panels, H Beam sleepers, modern track renewal and maintenance machines etc." The railway minister, while presenting a comparative figure of track potential in 2014 and 2025 said, "As a result of above measures, there has been significant increase in speed potential of the tracks." Details of speed potential of railway tracks during 2014 vis a vis 2025 suggested that while in 2014, 5 per cent track were suitable to run trains at 130 and above speed, in 2025, 21.8 per cent tracks can support such speed. Khan also wanted to know the current status and anticipated timeline for the rollout of Vande Bharat Sleeper trains, including the key factors contributing to delays in their production and deployment "The first prototype of Vande Bharat sleeper trainset has already been manufactured. Based on the extensive field trials and the experience gained therein, the first rake of Vande Bharat sleeper train is undergoing commissioning," the minister replied. This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.