A government meeting convened in Nanded to assess the drought situation in Maharashtra has triggered a political controversy after a video showing cashews and almonds being served to ministers, MPs and MLAs went viral.

The incident drew criticism from Opposition leaders and farmers, while Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said such arrangements should have been avoided.

The controversy centred on a meeting held at the Nanded District Collectorate, where refreshments including dry fruits were served while the participants discussed the drought situation.

The video circulated widely, prompting criticism from farmers and Opposition leaders, who accused the administration of failing to show sensitivity towards those facing drought-related difficulties.

Among those present were District Guardian Minister Atul Save, Minister Meghana Bordikar, Nanded Congress MP Ravindra Chavan, Parbhani MP Sanjay Jadhav, MP Ramrao Wadkute, Hingoli MP Nagesh Patil Ashtikar, Jalna MP Kalyan Kale and district MLAs, including Pratap Patil Chikhalikar and Hemant Patil. BJP MP Ashok Chavan attended the meeting virtually.

Following the backlash, officials removed the plates containing the dry fruits from the meeting venue.

The controversy took an unusual turn later in the day when Agriculture Minister Dattatray Bharne visited Hingoli. A farmer offered Bharne cashews and almonds on a leaf, apparently as a symbolic response to the incident. Bharne declined the offering and assured the farmers that the government was taking steps to tackle the drought situation and would provide all necessary assistance, The Indian Express reported.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said serving dry fruits could have been avoided.

“Generally, it is standard practice for the administration to place dry fruits in meetings. Such things should be avoided. However, it is not correct to claim that someone is doing this intentionally because there is a drought. The administration must keep certain things in mind and act with sensitivity,” the newspaper quoted Fadnavis as saying in Nagpur on Saturday.

State Social Justice Minister Sanjay Shirsat from the Shiv Sena criticised the Nanded administration over the incident.

“Do the officials have any sense? Officials bear certain responsibilities; they ought to understand what topic is being discussed and how they should act. Officials commit such missteps, and we get blamed,” he said, reported The Indian Express.

NCP (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar accused the government of failing to demonstrate seriousness towards the drought affecting several parts of the state.

“The government is showing no seriousness and is just sitting around eating cashews and almonds…The state government needs to take serious note of this dire crisis, immediately convene a special session, conduct extensive discussions on the drought, and provide relief to the farmers,” he said.

Pawar also questioned whether the government had followed the prescribed procedures for assessing and reporting drought conditions. He alleged that no such data had been prepared at the government level during the monsoon months.

“If this information is true, it is extremely unfortunate, and it raises the question: Do ministers and officials just sit in meetings eating cashews and almonds?” he asked.

The episode has since become a political flashpoint, with the Opposition demanding greater attention to the drought situation and questioning the administration’s conduct during an official review of the crisis.