Marketing Minister Abdul Sattar abruptly left a meeting in Pune on Thursday after participants began chanting slogans such as "Sattaracha karyacha kay, khali doke var paay, 50 Khoke, akdam okay."
The Maharashtra State Agricultural Marketing Board organized the state-level conference at Nigdi’s GD Madgulkar Auditorium to discuss modern marketing practices, facilities for farmers, and improvements in market committees' functioning. The event was attended by chairpersons, secretaries, and key officials from across the state.
The protest erupted when committee office bearers raised allegations of financial misconduct regarding permissions from the Agricultural Produce Market Committee.
Sattar, visibly upset, seized the microphone, insisting that no controversial statements should be made. When the speaker requested the office bearers be allowed to speak, Sattar excused himself from the conference, claiming he had to attend a Council of State Ministers' meeting, leading to confusion among the attendees. The situation escalated as protesters chanted slogans and staged a demonstration in Nigdi.
पुण्यात 50 खोके, एकदम ओकेच्या घोषणा; अब्दुल सत्तारांनी सभागृहातून घेतला काढता पाय #AbdulSattar#pune#Sattarpic.twitter.com/WIPAlW0MZS
— Yogesh Kangude (@Yogesh_Kangude) October 3, 2024
APMCs shut on Monday
Minister Sattar arrived two hours late and allowed only one representative to speak. When a participant highlighted financial fraud in granting permissions, Sattar became angry and took control of the microphone, urging the crowd to avoid making controversial statements. Despite a request from the speaker to let the man continue, Sattar left for another meeting, which further agitated the attendees. Slogans were raised, posters of Sattar were torn, and the APMCs announced a shutdown on Monday in protest.
Although key leaders like Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Deputy Chief Ministers Devendra Fadnavis, and Ajit Pawar were expected to attend, none were present, leaving Sattar as the primary representative. He withdrew from the event when members voiced their anger over the privatization of Agricultural Produce Market Committees in certain areas.