Chhava Sanghatna activists meet Ajit Pawar, demand minister Kokate's removal

Pune, Jul 25 (PTI) Activists of the Chhava Sanghatna, who were assaulted by NCP workers last week, met the party chief and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Friday and demanded the ouster of state Minister Manikrao Kokate.

The NCP workers had on July 20 assaulted Chhava Sanghatna activists in Latur, where the latter confronted party leader Sunil Tatkare over a video purportedly showing state agriculture minister Manikrao Kokate playing a game of rummy on his mobile phone during the recently concluded monsoon session of the state legislature.

Chhava Sanghatna leader Vijay Ghadge, who was severely beaten up in the clash, and other activists of the outfit met Pawar at the government guesthouse in Pune.

"We asked Ajit dada about the attack that took place when we went to give a memorandum to the party's state president, Tatkare. We asked him what our mistake was. He condemned the incident and told us that he had initiated an action the same day against the persons involved," Ghadge told reporters after the meeting.

He said Pawar spoke to the Latur superintendent of police and instructed him to take strict action against those who assaulted the activists.

Ghadge further said that they have sought the removal of Kokate as the state agriculture minister.

"We told him the state has got a most insensitive agriculture minister and he should be removed from the cabinet. He sought time till Tuesday and assured that he would make a decision," he claimed.

He further warned that if no action is taken against Kokate by Tuesday, the Chhava Sanghatana and farmers will stage a protest against Pawar.

Senior NCP Minister Chhagan Bhujbal, who was in Pune, said both sides (Chhava Sanghatna and NCP workers) were at fault. PTI SPK ARU