Nagpur: The cries of “Jai Vidarbha” vanished, making way for new slogans like “Khokhe Shinde Sarkar” in the Winter Session in Nagpur this month. The entire Winter Session of State Legislature in the Second Capital of the State was dominated by border row between Maharashtra and Karnataka, demands for resignation of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Agriculture Minister Abdul Sattar over land allotment issues, and other issues not important to Vidarbha region.
Even though Maharashtra legislature’s Winter Session is being held in Nagpur after a gap of three years owing to Covid pandemic, issues pertaining to the region have taken a backseat. In the first five days of the session which began on December 19, hardly any fruitful discussion on issues concerning Vidarbha like backwardness, irrigation backlog, lack of industries, unemployment, absence of good education facilities, reconstitution of Vidarbha Statutory Development Board and farmers’ suicides was held.
Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said the opposition parties have “no love left for Vidarbha” as they are not taking up issues of the region during the Winter Session..
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Thursday 09 Jan. 2025
Border row:
The ongoing wrangling with neighbouring State of Karnataka over the border dominated the Winter Session. The Opposition pressed for a House resolution to send a message to villagers in border areas that the State Government was with them. However, the Government asked the Opposition not to politicise the issue as time was to put up a united stand.
Chief Minister Eknath Shinde responded in the Assembly to the Leader of the Opposition Ajit Pawar, outlining the steps taken by the Union Home Minister to defuse the tension between the two States. The border row with Karnataka is not new and as Home Minister Amit Shah has directed, one has to be patient till the Supreme Court settles the issue, he said.
The Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) constituents staged agitation and raised slogans against Karnataka and Maharashtra Governments on the steps of the Assembly on flaring up of tension at the border. Leader of Opposition in Assembly Ajit Pawar raised the issue. Attacking the Government, Pawar demanded the Government to make public details of the meeting the Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis held with Union Home Minister Amit Shah on the issue.
State Govt Resolution:
The Maharashtra Legislative Assembly unanimously passed a resolution on the Maharashtra-Karnataka border row, reiterating Maharashtra’s claim to the villages in the disputed region and condemning the “atrocities” meted out by the Karnataka administration against the Marathi-speaking population in the region.
The resolution was moved in the Assembly by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. The resolution in the Maharashtra Assembly came a week after the Karnataka Assembly passed its own resolution stating that it will “not cede an inch of land to Maharashtra”. The resolution reiterated Maharashtra’s claim that there were 865 Marathi-speaking villages in Karnataka and asserted that it would stand behind the Marathi people in border areas and ensure victory in the legal fight in the Supreme Court so that these areas become a part of Maharashtra. The Maharashtra Assembly resolution also condemned Karnataka for “oppressing and terrorising the Marathi population” and also for its “anti-Marathi stand in border areas.”
Lokayukta Bill passed
Maharashtra assembly passed the Lokayukta Bill 2022, which brings the Chief Minister and Council of Ministers under the ambit of the anti-corruption ombudsman. The Bill was passed without discussion as the opposition had staged a walkout over the alleged scam in the Teachers Entrance Test. Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis termed the bill a historic legislation, adding Maharashtra is the first state to have such a law.
Oppn demands CM Shinde’s resignation over NIT land issue:
The State Legislative Council witnessed Opposition uproar over handing over of a plot of Nagpur Improvement Trust (NIT) at a throwaway price in Nagpur, following an order by CM Eknath Shinde. Opposition leaders have alleged that after Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde’s (during MVA government tenure) order, NIT was forced to give 2 lakh square feet land worth Rs 83 crore for Rs 2 crore.
The Opposition members staged demonstrations in the Maharashtra Legislature complex accusing the government of being corrupt and demanded the resignation of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. The demand for the CM’s resignation comes against the backdrop of the Bombay High Court’s Nagpur Bench ordering status quo on a decision taken by Shinde when he was a minister in the previous Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) Government of allotting land meant for slum dwellers to private persons.
Disha Salian’s death case:
Shiv Sena (Shinde faction) MLA Bharat Gogavale and BJP MLA Nitesh Rane raised the issue of Disha Salian’s death in the State Assembly and demanded an inquiry. While Nitesh Rane was raising this issue, sloganeering started from the Opposition benches. Chaos ensued as the ruling and opposition members rushed into the Well of the House. After the uproar, the Assembly was adjourned for 10 minutes.
Intervening on the issue, the Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said that a Special Investigation Team (SIT) will probe Disha Salian suicide case. He further said that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) was never investigating the case. The case was never with the CBI.
NCP’s Jayant Patil suspended for rest of Winter Session for using abusive words against Assembly Speaker:
The NCP MLA Jayant Patil was suspended for using abusive language against Assembly Speaker Rahul Narvekar. Jayant Patil was suspended till the end of the Winter Session. The suspension resolution was passed in the Assembly. Leader of Opposition Ajit Pawar has expressed an apology on this occasion. The NCP member Jayant Patil used unparliamentary words against the Speaker in anger over not allowing members of the Opposition to speak. The ruling benches immediately demanded suspension of Jayant Patil for one year.
Abdul Sattar’s resignation demanded:
Both Houses of the legislature witnessed uproar after the Opposition demanded resignation of Agriculture Minister Abdul Sattar. Sattar is accused of illegally allotting 37.19 acres of grazing land in Washim, estimated to be worth Rs 150 crore, to a local resident. He is also facing allegations of forcing officials to sell passes for Sillod festival to the agriculture department’s suppliers.
Leader of Opposition in the Assembly, Ajit Pawar, said Sattar, using his quasi-judicial powers as minister of state for revenue, had on June 17 handed over the government land to one Yogesh Khandare. “This is despite a district court giving a contrary ruling. It is a gross misuse of power and the minister should immediately resign,” he said, adding the allotment was done a few days before the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi government was toppled. Congress MLA and former Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan said Sattar should be sacked immediately to avoid any influence on the case ahead of the next hearing on January 11.
Around 60 morchas were taken out by various organisations raising their demands and justice during the entire period of the Winter Session.
