Ajit Pawar ‘reprimands’ Kokate at party meeting over farmer remark; NCP denies

Speaking at his home district Nasik while interacting with farmers affected by unseasonal rain and hail storms last week, Kokate had said, “Farmers take loan and wait for five-ten years for loan waiver. The government will give money to farmers to invest in agriculture. This money is for water, irrigation and farm ponds. The government makes capital investments. What do you do with the money that you get from the farm loan waiver? Farmers say they want crop insurance money but spend it on weddings and engagements.”

He landed in trouble after Opposition leaders across the spectrum demanded an apology from him. Kokate later apologised.

According to sources present in the NCP meeting on Tuesday night, Kokate arrived late. “He was reprimanded by Ajit dada about his comments. And even reminded him that he has already landed in trouble twice already and should avoid it third time,” said the leader who attended the meeting on the condition of anonymity.

Earlier, Kokate landed in trouble after he compared farmers to beggars, saying “Even a beggar does not take Rs 1, but here we are giving crop insurance for Rs 1. Even then there are people who try to misuse it. There are irregularities, like people from other states applying.”

The leader said that Pawar also warned all the ministers to not miss their Janta Darbars planned in party office. “It is important that people should get to meet the minister as it is not possible for all people to enter Mantralaya,” said the leader.

Denying any heated exchange in the party, NCP chief spokesperson and former MP Anand Paranjpe said, “It is not true that Kokate was singled out by Ajit dada. He asked all the ministers to regularly attend Janta Darbars. Nothing more was said by him.”