Maharashtra Minister Kokate Played Rummy For Over 18 Minutes During Assembly: Rohit Pawar
Maharashtra Minister Kokate faces criticism after a probe report allegedly confirmed he played Rummy on his phone during an assembly session. NCP MLA Rohit Pawar demands action.
Maharashtra Agriculture Minister Manikrao Kokate is facing flak after a probe report allegedly confirmed that he was playing Rummy on his phone for about 18 to 22 minutes during a recent assembly session. The claim about the report was made by NCP (Sharad Pawar faction) MLA Rohit Pawar, who has demanded a response from the state government over the revelation.
According to MLA Rohit Pawar, the internal report of the Maharashtra legislature, which has been submitted to both Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister, has contradicted Kokate's earlier defense.
'The agriculture minister was not playing cards for 42 seconds but for 18 to 22 minutes. This is the report of the state legislature which has been submitted to the CM as well as Deputy Chief Minister. Will the government clarify about this?" Rohit Pawar wrote in a post on X.
Kokate, a leader from the Nationalist Congress Party (Ajit Pawar faction), had previously denied the allegations, claiming that what appeared on his phone was merely a pop-up notification for an online rummy game, which he has skipped.
The controversy began during the recently concluded monsoon session of Maharashtra assembly when Rohit Pawar posted a video on X that showed Minister Kokate apparently engaged in a mobile card game during proceedings in the legislative council and slammed him for not paying attention when crucial matters, like farmers' suicide, was being discussed in the House.
After the revelation, Pawar has renewed his attack on the ruling coalition, questioning whether any action will be taken against Kokate. '
If the government fails to act, what right does it have to claim the legacy of Yashwantrao Chavan and Atal Bihari Vajpayee?" he asked.
As of now, the state government has not issued an official statement on the matter.
view comments
First Published:
Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
News18
22 minutes ago
- News18
Trump Urges India to Halt Russian Oil Purchases, India Stands Firm on Energy Sovereignty
Trump Urges India to Halt Russian Oil Purchases, India Stands Firm on Energy Sovereignty | News18 Last Updated: India Videos | US President Donald Trump on Saturday said that India has reportedly halted the purchase of Russian oil and called it a 'good step" if it turns out to be true. Mobile App -
News18
30 minutes ago
- News18
NAPA demands Punjab govt to withdraw Land Pooling scheme
Chandigarh, Aug 2 (PTI) The North American Punjabi Association (NAPA) on Saturday issued a warning to the Punjab government over the 'controversial" Land Pooling Scheme. NAPA Executive Director Satnam Singh Chahal said that if the government fails to withdraw this 'anti-farmer" scheme, it will become extremely difficult to control the rightful landowners, whose livelihoods and ancestral lands are under direct threat. Chahal emphasised that the Punjab Government must act responsibly and immediately revoke this policy, which has sparked widespread resentment among farmers and landowners across the state. He urged Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann not to blindly follow Arvind Kejriwal and his team, who are consistently pushing policies that are detrimental to Punjab's interests. 'Punjab's unique socio-economic fabric cannot withstand such experimental schemes designed by people who do not understand the ground realities of our state," Chahal said. 'It is high time that the Punjab Government starts taking independent decisions in the larger interest of its people rather than becoming a laboratory for Delhi's political agendas," he added. NAPA reminded the Punjab government that the farmers of the state have already made countless sacrifices for the nation's food security and deserve respect and fair treatment—not policies that threaten their existence. The association warned that any attempt to implement the Land Pooling Scheme forcibly would lead to a massive statewide agitation, which could spiral out of control if the genuine concerns of the people are ignored. PTI VSD HIG HIG view comments First Published: Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
News18
34 minutes ago
- News18
Jury Chairman Reveals REAL Reason Why The Kerala Story Won 2 National Awards
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has slammed the 71st National Film Awards for The Kerala Story's wins. The 71st National Film Awards were announced on August 1, and The Kerala Story secured two wins. Sudipto Sen won the Best Direction Award, and Prasantanu Mohapatra won the Best Cinematography Award. The Kerala Story became a controversial release due to its subject. Many slammed the film as propaganda, and it faced widespread criticism for allegedly misrepresenting facts and portraying Kerala in a communal light. As The Kerala Story's wins raise some eyebrows, Jury Chairman Ashutosh Gowariker has revealed why the film won. He told NDTV, 'One is the cinematography award. The cinematography in The Kerala Story was very stark and realistic." He added, 'It didn't ever try to overpower the narrative; the images were created within the realm of things. So, we applauded that." As for Sudipto Sen's accolade, Gowariker said, 'It's a difficult topic and to convey that with the kind of clarity that as a jury we felt the need to applaud it." Gowariker said that while there were 'deliberations' in the jury about The Kerala Story, the film was awarded unanimously. Meanwhile, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has slammed the 71st National Film Awards for The Kerala Story's wins. In a statement, Chief Minister Vijayan said the film was 'made with lies to defame Kerala and spread communalism". He added that by honouring such a film, the awards jury had 'insulted the noble tradition of Indian cinema that stood for religious brotherhood and national integration" The Chief Minister further alleged that the move reflected the ideological agenda of the Sangh Parivar. 'They are implementing the Sangh Parivar agenda of turning cinema into a weapon to implement the communal agenda," he said. Vijayan urged all democratic-minded citizens and Malayalis to speak out against what he described as a grave injustice. 'Every Malayali and all democratic believers in the country should raise their voice against this injustice. We must rally against politics that turns art into a weapon to foster communalism," he stated. Additionally, Kerala's Education Minister V Sivankutty also voiced his disapproval. Released in 2023, The Kerala Story depicted the alleged radicalisation and trafficking of women from Kerala by ISIS, a narrative many have dismissed as exaggerated and misleading. The film was even banned in several Indian states. The film was headlined by Adah Sharma, who is celebrating the film's wins along with Sudipto Sen and the team. First Published: August 02, 2025, 10:14 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
