Latest news with #MaharashtraAssembly
NDTV
a day ago
- Politics
- NDTV
Rummy-Playing Minister's Birthday Wish For Ajit Pawar Is 'Get Out Of Jail' Card?
Mumbai: Caught playing cards in the Maharashtra Assembly while it was in session, Agriculture Minister Manikrao Kokate appeared to be currying favour with Nationalist Congress Party boss and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, with a grand 'happy birthday' message Tuesday morning. 'Happy birthday, dada (as Mr Pawar is referred to within his party)' was written across 11 acres of agricultural land within the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation area. The message was etched across a field in Mr Kokate's Sinnar constituency. And, of course, also featured a large photograph of the birthday boy, i.e., Mr Pawar. Reports said eight people, led by artists Mangesh Nipanikar and Kshipra Mankar, and two tractors worked 10 hours a day for six days to prepare the outlandish message. Will the message have the effect Mr Kokate wants? That is unclear. What is clear is that Ajit Pawar is under pressure to sack his minister, with the opposition having targeted his NCP and the ruling alliance led by the Bharatiya Janata Party. Mr Pawar is also under pressure, sources told NDTV, from within that ruling alliance. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis - already under fire for failing to stem violent conduct by goons with political backing in the Marathi language row - criticised Mr Kokate's conduct. Sources told NDTV other members of the BJP and the third member of the Mahayuti bloc, Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena, have also criticised the Agriculture Minister's actions, and believe a "strong public message" is necessary for the ruling alliance to retain credibility with the public. The NCP has yet to decide on Mr Kokate's fate. Meanwhile, the card-playing minister has, unsurprisingly, played down the row, declaring this a "small issue" and defended himself by claiming he wasn't actually playing for money. "... why did (this issue) get stretched out so much? You can't play online rummy if your phone and bank account are not linked... I will give my details and everyone can check," he said, declaring also he would take legal action against those who said he played cards in the House. VIDEO | Maharashtra Minister Caught Playing Rummy In Assembly. His Defence Earlier Mr Kokate claimed he wasn't actually playing the game and that it "got downloaded on my phone". He said he had been trying to "skip it" and accused the opposition of targeting him with an incomplete clip, "I tried twice (but) didn't know how... but next second, I skipped it." The video of Mr Kokata playing (or trying to skip) the game, depending on which protestation is accepted, has been severely criticised by the opposition, with NCP patriarch Sharad Pawar's grandnephew, Rohit Pawar, leading the charge. In a post on X Mr Pawar said: "Will these misguided ministers and the government ever hear the desperate plea of farmers demanding crop insurance, loan waivers, and price support?" #राजीनामा_द्यावाच_लागेल! सभागृहाचं कामकाज संपलं होतं हे कृषिमंत्री महोदयांचं विधान धडधडीत खोटं आहे. उलट विकासाच्या मूळ प्रवाहापासून दूर असलेल्या आदिवासी बांधवांना दुधाळ जनावरं देण्याच्या अत्यंत महत्त्वाच्या विषयावर सभागृहात चर्चा सुरु होती, पण 'ओसाड गावच्या पाटलांना' या चर्चेत… — Rohit Pawar (@RRPSpeaks) July 22, 2025 That Rohit Pawar is fronting the opposition attack on this issue is significant, given Ajit Pawar led rebel NCP MLAs out of the then-Sharad Pawar-ruled party in 2023 and delivered them to the BJP's camp. That strengthened the saffron party's control of the Maharashtra government. Rohit Pawar doubled down on his criticism this morning, slamming Mr Kokate for a "blatantly false" statement that the House was not in session when he was caught playing cards. "On the contrary, a discussion was underway on the extremely important issue of providing milch animals to tribal brethren who are far from the mainstream of development..." Mr Pawar also questioned Mr Kokate's other claim - that he was trying to "skip the game". "... tell me, which advertisement for a card game takes 42 seconds to skip?" he asked as he repeated the opposition's demand for the Agriculture Minister to stand down.
Time of India
4 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
'No celebrations' on Devendra Fadnavis' birthday, contribute more to CM relief fund: BJP
Ahead of Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis 's birthday, which is on July 22, the Bharatiya Janata Party office secretary Mukund Kulkarni, informed that the BJP has appealed to all party leaders and workers not to put up hoardings, banners and publish advertisements in newspapers or on Television. "If anyone puts up hoardings, banners or advertisements, the party will take serious disciplinary action against them. Therefore, these instructions should be strictly followed. The party is also appealing to anyone who wants to contribute to the Chief Minister's Relief Fund," informed the BJP State Office. Explore courses from Top Institutes in Select a Course Category Simultaneously, on Saturday, refuting the recent altercation between BJP MLA Gopichand Padalkar and National Congress Party-Sharadchandra Pawar (NCP-SCP) MLA Jitendra Awhad outside the Maharashtra Assembly , Chief Minister Fadnavis said that the behaviour of both the MLAs was not acceptable and they both behaved like school kids. Addressing a press conference, Fadnavis said, "We have condemned the incident. The behaviour of both MLAs was not acceptable. They behaved like school kids. We are hurt by the incident and will make sure it doesn't happen again." Fadnavis addressed the media following the conclusion of the Monsoon session of the Maharashtra Assembly, highlighting the passage of 16 significant bills and decisions, including the Maharashtra Special Public Security Bill . Live Events The monsoon session of the Maharashtra Assembly was held from June 30 to July 18. Speaking at a press conference, Fadnavis noted that the Assembly session saw the passage of several key legislations. He said, "In the Assembly Session, important Bills, supplementary demands and important decisions were taken. A total of 16 Bills were passed. The Maharashtra Special Public Security Bill, an important Bill, was also passed. We got the cooperation of the Opposition too for the Bill, but later there was pressure on them, that's why they opposed it outside the House."
India Today
5 days ago
- Politics
- India Today
Maharashtra assembly brawl: Two sent to police custody till July 21
A magistrate court in Mumbai on Friday remanded two men arrested in connection with the Maharashtra Assembly ruckus to police custody till July two accused – Sarjerao Baban Takle, an activist associated with Gopichand Padalkar, and Nitin Hindurao Deshmukh, linked to NCP(SP) MLA Jitendra Awhad – were arrested on Thursday following a violent altercation between party workers inside the assemblyadvertisementThe investigating officer sought seven-day police custody, saying that Takle had entered the high-security Assembly premises without a valid pass. "It is to be investigated as to who helped him enter without authorisation," the officer told the court. He also submitted WhatsApp chats between Deshmukh and Awhad to emphasise the need for custodial interrogation. "This incident happened because of an earlier incident that had happened a few days ago. Both the accused have criminal antecedents. Takle has 6 cases; Deshmukh has 7 cases against him. We need to question both of them," said Rakesh Shinde, Police Sub-Inspector, Marine Drive Police counsel Jayant Bardeskar and Datta Mane, appearing for Takle, argued that the viral video of the incident showed it was not a premeditated attack."See the video which is viral, both the accused had a dialogue and then this happened. This is just a co-incidence that they came together and in the midst of a heated exchange, this happened. But they did not do anything after they were pulled away from each other," Bardeskar told the also referred to a separate FIR against Awhad, saying, "When the police were taking the two accused to the police station, the second accused party workers created a ruckus. I am showing this FIR as Takle is not the person creating the ruckus. The opposite party was the aggressor."Advocates Kunjan Makwana and Sneha Bhange, appearing for Deshmukh, said he had a valid entry pass and was not the one who initiated the scuffle."Look at my medical report, the viral video shows that he was not the person who hit first. His shirt was torn, and he was standing in his vest. He was already in police custody when the second FIR (against Awhad) was registered," submitted Marine Drive Police registered an FIR based on a complaint filed by Sachin Vitthal Patne, Security Officer at Vidhan Bhavan. The FIR includes charges under Sections 189(1)(a), 189(1), 189(2), 190, 191(2), 194(2), 195(1), 195(2), and 352 of the Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita- EndsMust Watch
Indian Express
5 days ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
From debates to straight-out brawls, Maharashtra Assembly's steady drift to chaos
Legislative assemblies are meant to be sanctums of democracy, where debate and dialogue shape the future of the state. However, over the past two decades, the precincts of the Maharashtra Assembly have increasingly been turned into a battleground, witnessing fistfights between legislators to full-scale brawls between their political supporters. Thursday's incident of an outright brawl between the supporters of BJP MLA Gopichand Padalkar and Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Pawar) MLA Jitendra Awhad in the lobby of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly has showcased the fragility of legislative decorum, which has been eroding at a fast pace in the state. Brawls inside the Maharashtra Assembly The functioning of the Maharashtra Assembly has periodically been marred by episodes of physical and procedural disorder. While Maharashtra's legislature is deemed institutionally robust, with MLAs known for following procedural norms, the situation seems to have deteriorated substantially, particularly over the last two decades. The most talked about incident took place on August 12, 1964, when Forward Bloc's MLA Jambuwantrao Dhote, after being ordered to leave the House by Speaker Balasaheb Bharde, threw a glass paperweight at the latter's chair. For this display of anger and defiance, the Assembly expelled him permanently, a rare and drastic disciplinary action. Since then, the Assembly has witnessed aggressive and unparliamentary behaviour multiple times. However, even during the peak of the Shiv Sena's aggressive streak, proceedings both inside and outside the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly rarely saw outbreaks of violence. This streak, however, was broken on November 10, 2009, when Samajwadi Party MLA Abu Azmi, who took his oath in Urdu instead of Marathi, was assaulted inside the well of the House by Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) legislators. Subsequently, in March 2013, assistant police inspector Sachin Suryavanshi, who had fined Kshitij Thakur, the then MLA of Bahujan Vikas Aghadi, for speeding, was attacked inside the Vidhan Bhavan by a group of legislators. At least three MLAs were reported to have slapped and punched the officer for nearly 10 minutes. The assault occurred after Suryavanshi appeared in the Assembly during a breach-of-privilege motion filed against him. He was dragged from the visitors' gallery and beaten in the corridor. The incident caused a major rift with the Mumbai police, who surrounded the Assembly premises in an attempt to arrest the offending legislators. A confrontation was, however, averted and most of the MLAs went scot-free. Present Assembly session: the most controversial The ongoing Maharashtra Assembly session has been one of the nastiest in recent memory, with MLAs and ministers forgetting civility and their supporters being brazen enough to fight inside the precincts. The three-week-long session had numerous instances where ministers, including Shambhuraj Desai, lost their cool while replying to questions raised by Opposition MLAs. The behaviour of legislators, their staff, and supporters has also been questionable. Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Varun Sardesai, in front of television cameras, got into a confrontation with the staff of the Deputy Chairperson of the Maharashtra Legislative Council and Shiv Sena leader Neelam Gorhe, accusing them of deliberately shoving him twice. The Gopichand Padalkar–Jitendra Awhad feud has also been simmering for the last three days. Padalkar, known for his acerbic tongue and constant stream of allegations against Sharad Pawar, was called a 'mangalsutra thief' by Awhad three days ago inside the Assembly premises. A day later, the two had a tiff after Awhad and his supporters alleged that Padalkar deliberately banged his car door forcefully against Awhad while getting out of his vehicle. This feud subsequently escalated into violence between their supporters inside the Assembly on Thursday. What explains this behaviour Legal and procedural protections play a role in allowing MLAs to brazen it out. Article 194 of the Constitution grants certain privileges to MLAs, including freedom of speech in the Assembly, immunity from legal proceedings for anything said or voted on inside the House, and protection from arrest in civil cases during the session and 40 days before and after. However, this protection does not extend to criminal acts such as assault, battery, or criminal intimidation. Before the police take action during an Assembly session, the Speaker's permission is often sought as a courtesy, especially in the case of sitting legislators. However, action is rarely taken against MLAs for criminal violations inside the Assembly premises. While their supporters are liable for criminal action for violence undertaken inside the Assembly, MLAs generally avoid facing legal consequences. The only real fear legislators face is the threat of suspension from the House. Even that does not seem to be very effective. Since the establishment of the Maharashtra Assembly in 1960, the Speaker has suspended 333 legislators for misconduct within the House. However, only 172 of them, roughly 52 per cent, have served their full suspension period, with the Assembly frequently revoking its decisions before the punishment is completed. In recent decades, the state has become increasingly lenient in reversing suspensions. Since 1999, as many as 137 MLAs have been suspended, but nearly 85 per cent of these suspensions (116 MLAs) were later revoked. The revocation of suspensions is a more recent trend. Prior to 1999, the Speaker took a more rigid approach, ensuring that suspended members served their full punishment. Between 1960 and 1999, as many as 196 MLAs were suspended, with only 21 per cent (44 legislators) having their suspensions revoked. According to the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Lok Sabha, which serve as a template for most state assemblies in India, a legislator can be suspended for disregarding the authority of the Chair. 'The Speaker may, if he deems it necessary, name a member who disregards the authority of the Chair or abuses the rules of the House by persistently and wilfully obstructing the business thereof. (2) If a member is so named by the Speaker, the Speaker shall, on a motion being made, forthwith put the question that the member (naming such member) be suspended from the service of the House for a period not exceeding the remainder of the session,' the rules state.
Time of India
5 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
'Tried to belittle Marathi': Raj Thackeray slams assembly brawl; defends MNS 'soldiers'
Raj Thackeray (PTI photo) NEW DELHI: Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) supremo Raj Thackeray on Friday lashed out at the chaos and violence that erupted at the Maharashtra Assembly, questioning the decline in political standards and decorum. Referring to the clash between BJP and NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar faction) leaders, Thackeray called it a reflection of an "obsession with power" and demanded action against those responsible. Thackeray drew a parallel between the assembly ruckus and the assertion of Marathi identity, a cause the MNS is often known to advocate publicly. "What has become of our Maharashtra?" Thackeray asked in a strongly worded post on X. Targeting the leaders involved in the scuffle, he wrote, "The obsession with power as an end rather than a means has led to the reckless inclusion of all sorts of people into parties, using them to sling vile insults at senior leaders of other parties, only to then hypocritically preach about political propriety." Thackeray also questioned the silence of those who frequently target MNS workers for their aggressive stands on issues related to Marathi identity. "When my Maharashtra soldiers raise their hands for the sake of the Marathi language or against the insult of a Marathi person, where are those who pounce on us and our party now hiding?" he asked. He added, "Whenever someone dares to slight the Marathi language or harm a Marathi person, my Maharashtra soldier delivers a befitting response, and I take pride in that because such actions are not driven by personal grudges but are for the sake of my language and my Marathi people. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Live Update: The Strategy Uses By Successful Intraday Trader TradeWise Learn More Undo My late MLA also gave a fitting lesson to an arrogant MLA in the Legislative Assembly, not out of personal animosity but because that MLA tried to belittle Marathi. But what about these people?" Thackeray also raised concerns over public funds being wasted due to such incidents. 'Though I don't have precise figures, according to an old estimate, the cost of a single day of the assembly session is at least one and a half to two crore rupees. Are these funds to be squandered on your personal mudslinging?' he wrote, pointing out the growing number of unresolved issues in the state. 'The state treasury is running dry, contractors' dues are stalled, districts are not receiving development funds. .. Even the ruling party's MLAs and ministers are asking whether the assembly session has become a mere formality.' He went on to warn that such incidents, if unchecked, could set a dangerous precedent. 'If such people are let off today, it wouldn't be surprising if, in the future, murders of MLAs take place in the Legislative Assembly, and it's taken as the norm!' The MNS chief's comments came in the wake of a clash that broke out outside the Maharashtra Assembly between supporters of BJP MLA Gopichand Padalkar and NCP-SCP leader Jitendra Awhad. The incident led to protests outside Mumbai's Marine Drive Police Station in the early hours of Friday, where NCP-SCP supporters, including MLAs Rohit Pawar and Jitendra Awhad, demanded the release of activist Nitin Deshmukh, who had been detained by police. They also called for the arrest of those involved in the scuffle. A video of the incident, now viral on social media, shows supporters from both parties engaging in a heated altercation near the Assembly's main staircase and lobby. The fight broke out just a day after Padalkar and Awhad were caught on camera in a verbal spat outside the legislature. In that clip, the two MLAs were seen exchanging sharp words after Awhad accused Padalkar of slamming a car door at him. Reacting to the viral video, Jitendra Awhad raised concerns about security at the Assembly. 'If MLAs are not safe even here, what's the point of being a public representative?' he asked. These developments follow a string of comments and incidents linked to MNS chief Raj Thackeray, who has once again brought the issue of Marathi identity to the fore. Just days earlier, Thackeray had said that everyone living in Maharashtra, including Gujaratis, should know Marathi, but that did not justify violence against those who didn't. However, he added that those who create unnecessary drama over the issue 'deserved to be physically struck. ' 'Be it Gujarati or anyone else here, must know Marathi, but there is no need to beat people for that if they don't speak Marathi. But if someone shows useless drama, you must hit below their eardrums,' he said. This statement came shortly after an incident on July 1 in Bhayander, Thane district, where MNS workers allegedly slapped a food stall owner for not speaking in Marathi. The episode led to protests by local traders, who condemned the MNS's actions.
