Nagpur (The Hawk): The Maharashtra opposition on Monday strongly sought the resignation of Agriculture Minister Abdul Sattar, who was recently in the news for the slur on NCP MP Supriya Sule, over what is allegedly another land fraud.
The protests were sparked by the Bombay High Court's criticism of Abdul Sattar for allegedly favouring a private individual by ordering the "regularisation" of a 37-acre Washim cattle-grazing (or "gairan") plot notwithstanding a civil court ruling to the contrary.
Ajit Pawar, the leader of the opposition, claimed that Abdul Sattar, then the Minister of State for Revenue (MSR) during the previous Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) regime, had issued the order despite fully knowing that the Additional District Judge, Washim, had rejected the private party's request for continued possession of the land in April 1994.
Pawar urged other opposition lawmakers to join him in saying, "Sattar should be immediately removed from the cabinet since it is a scandal worth Rs 150 crore."
In addition, the opposition requested that Abdul Sattar be removed from office because he requested that the Agriculture Department raise "vast amounts" in order to hold an agro-fair in his Sillod, Aurangabad, seat.
Pawar had already proposed an adjournment motion on this subject, but Speaker Rahul Narwekar allowed him to speak on it.
Dilip Walse-Patil, a senior NCP leader, cited a Supreme Court decision concerning similar "gairan" properties and said that the Minister should be charged criminally for the oversight.
The case is expected to be heard on January 11 and Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan requested Abdul Sattar be fired from his position until the high court cleared him of all charges.
In response, Fadnavis said the government will review the high court judgement and then take the necessary steps. Regarding the claim that money was collected for the agro-fair, he promised that no one would escape punishment for any wrongdoings.
The Speaker delayed the chamber this afternoon for an hour due to the contentious discussion that followed the matter.
Following a petition filed by two petitioners, Shyam Deole and Umesh Pophale, who claimed that the Minister had regularised the flouting of the Washim court's ruling dismissing the claim previously, the high court recently suspended Abdul Sattar's order in favour of Yogesh Khandare.
(Inputs from Agencies)