01 July,2025 04:54 PM IST | Mumbai | Sanjeev Shivadekar
Congress MLA Nana Patole speaks to the media after his suspension from the Assembly, on Tuesday. PIC/SAYYED SAMEER ABEDI
Former Maharashtra Assembly Speaker and sitting Congress legislator Nana Patole was suspended from the proceedings of the Assembly for a day on Day 2 of the Monsoon Session 2025.
On Tuesday, Rahul Narwekar, Speaker of the Legislative Assembly, ordered Patole's suspension from the proceedings for the entire day.
After the Question Hour session, Patole raised the issue of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) Babanrao Lonikar humiliating farmers with his statements.
"Modi might be a great leader for them, not for us," Patole said, following which a ruckus ensued in the Assembly.
Patole then walked to the chair of the speaker and even touched the maze, prompting Narwekar to adjourn the proceedings of the House for five minutes. After the House resumed, the ruling and the opposition members exchanged heated arguments.
Despite the Speaker repeatedly asking the members to settle down, the commotion continued.
Narwekar then said, "Patole is a former speaker of the assembly. He [Patole] very well knows the rules. I am ordering Patole's suspension from the proceedings of the assembly for a day."
Recently, Lonikar, had said at a function that farmers should not criticise the government as they have benefited from various schemes, especially those initiated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The BJP MLA's "we have given them clothes, shoes and phones" statement drew criticism from citizens and even from many within his own party.
Reacting to the MLA's controversial remarks, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had said, "The statements are completely wrong. No one should make such a statement. Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji has repeatedly mentioned that we are âJan Sevak'. I, too, believe that we are here to serve people and such statements should be avoided."
