Nagpur.
Winter Session of Maharashtra Legislature being held in Nagpur started on a stormy note. As soon as the Vidhan Sabha (Assembly) assembled at 11 am, Congress Group Leader Vikhe Patil moved an Adjournment Motion and demanded discussion on agrarian situation, rising milk prices, farmers’ suicides and other issues under Rule 97. However, the Speaker Haribhau Bagde rejected Vikhe Patil’s demand
Later, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis introduced his Council of Ministers to the members of the House. The Speaker announced the list of names of Presiding Officers who will run the House in the absence of Speaker. The House paid homage to the departed souls including former Governor Mohd Fazal, former Chief Minister A R Antulay, Sundrarao Solanke, Shankarrao Gedam, Sabir Sheikh, Datta Khanvilkar, Udaysingh Gaekwad, Bapusaheb Prabhugaonkar, Mohan Mahadeo Patil, Suryakant Dongre, Purshottam Kalu, P K Anna Patil, Malojirao Mogal, Kisanrao Bankhele, Umar Aziz Kazi, Bhujangrao Bagde, Netaji Tanbaji Rajgadkar, Pradumna Mehta, Jagarao Chavan, Uttamrao Gawli-Vitekar, and Govind Makkaji Rathod. The Chief Minister read out the obituary resolutions and remembered the contributions of the departed souls. Congress Group Leader Vikhe Patil, NCP leader Ajit Pawar, Ganpatrao Deshmukh, Abu Azmi, Vijay Kumar Ravat, Prithviraj Chavan, Dilip Walse Patil, Eknathrao Shinde, Patangrao Kadam, Bhaskarrao Jadhav too paid tributes to the departed souls by recalling their fruitful contributions.
During the homage paying proceedings, Bhaskar Jadhav suddenly stood up and questioned the one hour absence of Chief Minister Fadnavis and demanded he be called to the House. “Yesterday, Fadnavis was absent in the tea party and now he is not seen in the House,” said Jadhav. The Treasury Bench members retorted that Jadhav should not politicize at least the obituary resolutions.
The Speaker later adjourned the House for the day after the passing obituary resolutions. It will assemble at 11 am on Tuesday.
Earlier, Energy Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule entered the House at 10.40 am but was found searching for his seat. At one time, Bawankule reached the seat where he used to sit as Opposition member for years. However, he soon was told about his seat just behind Chief Minister’s seat. The Ministers and MLAs from Nagpur District were seen wearing jackets of different colours.
When former Energy Minister Ajit Pawar entered the House, he straightway went to the present Energy Minister Bawankule and went into a short discussion, maybe a Guru Mantra. Interestingly, when Pawar was Minister, he never went to other benches to meet members. But today was a different day.
The first time member Dr Milind Mane was seen graciously bending and touching the steps of the Assembly with his head in respect, before he stepped inside the House. Enthusiasm was overflowing on his face.
Abu Azmi and Jitendra Avhad slammed the BJP demand to accord Bhagwatgita the status of “Rashtriya Dharmagranth” (National Sacred Book) saying that every religion has Dharmagranth and to accord national status to any specific one is totally wrong.
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