 "Both the houses of Maharashtra adjourned for the day over Ajit Pawar's remarks")
The state assembly had to be adjourned for five times before being adjourned for the day as the opposition was bent on its demand for Pawar's resignation. The state council also saw seven adjournments before being adjourned for the day.
At a rally on Sunday, Ajit Pawar said, "Somebody is there on a fast for 55 days now. His name is some Deshmukh. He is asking us to release water from dams. How could one do that? We don't have water in dams, what to do? Should we urinate in the dam? The problem is that there is no water to drink, so how could we even urinate?"
Further, the deputy chief minister in the same rally in Pune district said "I have come to know that because power goes off in the night, many children are being born. When there is no power, people seem to have no other work."
Leader of Opposition in the state assembly Eknath Khadse said ridiculing drought affected people and then apologising will not do. "Pawar has to go. He is unfit to be in his present ministerial position. His comments were unbecoming of a cultured person," Khadse said.
Earlier, after the lower house re-assembled following the fifth adjournment of 15 minutes, BJP legislators Nana Patole and Yogesh Sagar climbed the Speaker's podium demanding that the Opposition's adjournment notice regarding Pawar's comments be taken up for discussion.
Presiding Officer Nawab Malik said Pawar apologised for his remarks and the notice has been rejected by the Speaker and hence the issue cannot be raised in the House.
Opposition members were in the well shouting slogans against the Deputy CM and demanding his resignation.
Khadse criticised the chair for stiffling the Opposition voice and rushing through the day's business.
The budgetary demands for water resources, rural development, water conservation, water supply and cleanliness, minority welfare were passed amid noisy scenes.
Meanwhile, in the Upper House also, the Opposition members demanded a debate on the issue. State Home Minister RR Patil opposed the demand saying Pawar had apologised for his remarks and clarified his stand.