Kokate refers to govt as ‘beggar', triggers new row; inappropriate, says CM as oppn pushes for ouster

Time of India

5 days ago

Nashik: The controversy over allegedly playing rummy on his phone in the House was yet to die down and agriculture minister Manikrao Kokate sparked a new row on Tuesday by likening govt to a "beggar" while trying to clarify a remark he had made earlier about farmers.
The comment prompted CM
Devendra Fadnavis
to dub it "inappropriate" and reignited opposition's demand for his ouster.
Kokate, who represents Nashik's Sinnar assembly constituency, was questioned about his previous remark that had drawn criticism in which he had said that while even beggars do not accept Re 1 in alms, govt provides crop insurance for that amount. "Govt doesn't give Re 1 to the farmers, it takes Re 1 from them for crop insurance.
So, who is the beggar here? Govt is a beggar and not the farmer. My statement was misconstrued then by the people," he said in an attempt to clarify.
Kokate said he had played a key role in rejecting more than 5.3 lakh bogus applications under the Re 1 crop insurance scheme, which govt has now withdrawn and replaced with the PM crop insurance scheme.
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The 'beggar' remark didn't go unnoticed—neither by the CM nor the opposition.
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"If he has made such a comment, it is inappropriate for ministers to speak in this manner. We took corrective measures in the crop insurance scheme as we saw insurance companies benefitting and not farmers," Fadnavis said in Gadchiroli.
NCP (SP) MP and party's working president Supriya Sule condemned Kokate's remark, saying calling govt a "beggar" was a disastrous move. "It took the supreme sacrifice by 105 martyrs in the struggle for united Maharashtra and immense contribution by previous chief ministers and the people of the state to make Maharashtra the most prosperous state in the country. Calling the state a 'beggar' is an insult to them," she said in a post.
Alleging that there has never been a more insensitive agriculture minister, she demanded the portfolio be given to someone who would treat farmers well.