Manikrao Kokate's 'beggar' remark sparks fresh controversy, Devendra Fadnavis slams minister

Controversial Maharashtra agriculture minister Manikrao Kokate from the NCP has dug himself in a deeper hole after claiming on Tuesday that the state government was a "beggar". Kokate's remark has earned him a rebuke from Maharashtra CM who has also pulled up Kokate for playing online rummy card game on his cell phone in the state assembly.

On Tuesday, Kokate, who is facing criticism for playing an online card game during the recent legislative council proceedings, addressed a press conference giving a clarification of him playing rummy and also his past utterances. "I did not play rummy, I was trying to skip the popup of the ad for the game. I will be suing for defamation all those who posted the video," said Kokate. On his previous remark a few months back where he had claimed that "nowadays even beggars don't take ₹1 but the state government has given crop insurance to farmers at ₹1. However, some farmers have misused it", the NCP minister said that it was actually the state "which was a beggar" as they "were taking ₹1 from farmers."

CM Devendra Fadnavis slammed Kokate's comments. "If he has said that statement (on state being a beggar) then it is extremely wrong. We are investing ₹5,000 crore each year in the farm sector. In the next five years we are going to put ₹25,000 crore," said Fadnavis.