Archive · 20 Sep 2026
Dry Fruits at Maharashtra Drought Meeting Trigger Political Row
Officials met in Nanded to discuss drought-like conditions affecting parts of Maharashtra.
Cashews and almonds were served as snacks at the meeting.
A video of the refreshments spread online.
Opposition leaders said this showed a lack of concern for farmers facing hardship.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said dry fruits can be a normal part of official meetings.
However, he said officials should be sensitive when farmers are suffering.
Later, a farmer offered the same foods to Agriculture Minister Dattatray Bharane in Hingoli.
The farmer’s action was meant to mock the minister and draw attention to the controversy.
Cashews and almonds were served during a drought-review meeting at the Nanded district collectorate.
Video of the meeting spread on social media, prompting criticism from the Maharashtra Congress and Shiv Sena (UBT).
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said such refreshments were routine but should be avoided amid farmer distress.
Agriculture Minister Dattatray Bharane said he did not eat the dry fruits, while MP Sanjay Jadhav defended serving them.
A farmer later offered cashews and almonds to Bharane in Hingoli as a protest gesture.
- Who
- Maharashtra ministers, MPs, MLAs, Agriculture Minister Dattatray Bharane, Opposition leaders, and a protesting farmer.
- What
- Dry fruits served at a drought-review meeting prompted criticism and a farmer’s protest.
- When
- Saturday; the meeting video circulated before the farmer’s later protest.
- Where
- The meeting took place at the Nanded district collectorate, and the protest occurred in Hingoli.
- Why
- Opposition leaders and the farmer said serving dry fruits was insensitive while farmers faced drought-like conditions.
Opposition and Farmer Critics
Government and Meeting Defenders
Sensitivity of refreshments
Opposition and Farmer Critics
The Maharashtra Congress and Shiv Sena (UBT) said serving dry fruits during a drought review was insensitive and hurtful to distressed farmers.
Government and Meeting Defenders
Devendra Fadnavis said dry fruits are routinely served at official meetings, while Sanjay Jadhav said there was nothing wrong with serving them and that attendees had not requested them.
Government’s response to drought
Opposition and Farmer Critics
Maharashtra Congress president Harshvardhan Sapkal demanded that the state declare a drought, saying the government lacked sensitivity toward farmers.
Government and Meeting Defenders
Fadnavis said deficient rainfall had created drought-like conditions, crops had been affected, and ministers had been directed to assess conditions and arrange crop-damage reviews.
Agriculture minister’s role
Opposition and Farmer Critics
A farmer offered Bharane cashews and almonds in Hingoli to mock the refreshments served at the meeting.
Government and Meeting Defenders
Bharane played down the controversy by saying he had not eaten the dry fruits.
- Meeting subject
- Drought-like conditions in the Marathwada region and the eight districts of the Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar revenue division
- Meeting venue
- Nanded district collectorate
- Refreshments
- Cashews and almonds were served as snacks
- Video
- Footage of the meeting and refreshments circulated on social media
- Government response
- Devendra Fadnavis said officials should be sensitive to farmer distress
- Protest
- A farmer offered cashews and almonds to Dattatray Bharane in Hingoli
- Planned assessment
- Preliminary assessments and crop-damage panchnamas were to be undertaken within a week
