India, July 2 -- Former state assembly speaker and senior Congress leader Nana Patole was on Thursday suspended from the legislative assembly for a day for climbing onto the Speaker's podium while demanding an apology from state agriculture minister Manikrao Kokate and BJP MLA Babanrao Lonikar. All opposition parties barring the Samajwadi Party opposed the action and boycotted the proceedings of the assembly for the entire day.

Both Kokate and Lonikar have made objectionable comments about farmers, comparing them with beggars and saying they were getting "clothes, shoes, mobiles and monetary benefits" because of them.

As proceedings commenced in the assembly on the second day of the monsoon session on Tuesday, Patole, who represents the...