Nagpur: The Day-1 of second week of Winter Session of State Legislature in Nagpur witnessed noisy scenes as the Opposition created ruckus in the Assembly and Council demanding resignation from Agriculture Minister Abdul Sattar citing strictures passed against him by the Nagpur Bench of Bombay High Court on Friday.
Sattar is the second minister after Chief Minister Eknath Shinde to be targeted by the Opposition. The orders of both on land regularization in favour of individuals were stayed by the High Court. Both had passed orders when they were part of the MVA Government.
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The pandemonium was over a land regularisation order passed by Sattar when he was a Minister in the previous Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) Government. After storming into the Well in Assembly, the Opposition members squatted and raised slogans causing disruption in the Lower House. The Opposition was alleging irregularities in ordering regularisation of the possession of the land reserved for grazing in favour of a private party.
Leader of Opposition Ajit Pawar alleged there were irregularities worth Rs 150 crore and Sattar’s land regularisation order was a clear violation of a court order. Pawar said, “Sattar should immediately resign from his ministry as he misused his post. If he doesn’t resign, then he should be sacked.” The House was adjourned twice over the issue after uproar by the Opposition. Finally, at around 2 pm, the Speaker adjourned the House for the day. Outside the Assembly, the Opposition members raised slogans and demanded resignation of Abdul Sattar.
Many bills were passed amid the pandemonium and even replies were given by Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis to calling attention motions and other issues.
In the Council, Leader of Opposition Ambadas Danve, Shiv Sena (UBT) MLC Anil Parab and others demanded resignation of Sattar saying the latter had even overruled the court. “The minister must resign and an enquiry must be ordered against him.”
Soon both sides took aggressive stance on the Abdul Sattar issue following which Deputy Chairperson of Council Neelam Gorhe adjourned the proceedings for the day.
The HC had censured Sattar for awarding a ‘gairan’ (grazing) land, which was also a public utility area, to an individual Yogesh Khandare despite Supreme Court’s orders and Washim court’s judgement of April 19, 1994.
Quoting the HC order, the issue was raised by leader of opposition Ajit Pawar through adjournment motion seeking Sattar’s immediate resignation or removal from the Cabinet for misusing his position to provide benefit to an individual at cost of exchequer.
