Opp boycotts Governor's address over absence of Marathi speech

The Maharashtra government faced an embarrassment on the first day of the budget session of the legislature after it failed to provide a Marathi translation of Governor C.H. Vidyasagar Rao's address to the joint session of the legislature.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis apologised for the mistake. "It is a grave mistake, it is serious...the Speaker and the chairman would be looking into it...the issue falls in their jurisdiction. However, I still apologise to all of you," Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said.

The Opposition comprising of the Congress and NCP, immediately, boycotted the Governor's address to the joint sitting and walked out.  

The Governor started the speech in Marathi but after four minutes began speaking in English. "It is when we noticed that the Marathi translation is not there. I took the permission of the Chief Minister and went to the audio room and translated it," said Vinod Tawde, who holds several portfolios including School Education, Sports & Youth Welfare,Higher and Technical Education,  Marathi Bhasha, Cultural Affairs, Minorities Development Department.  

"This is serious...this cannot be taken lightly," Leader of Opposition in Assembly Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil said. His counterpart in Council Dhananjay Munde of the NCP said that the opposition condemns what has happened. "We did not hear the speech in Marathi but in Gujarati," he said in lighter vein.  

The government has failed 12 crore citizens of Maharashtra," said NCP leader and former Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar.

In fact, such a faux pas had happed for the first time in the history of Vidhan Sabha.
Maharashtra Legislative Assembly Speaker Haribhau Bagade and Maharashtra Legislative Council Chairman Ramraje Naik-Nimbalkar had taken cognizance of the issue.

Incidently, this took place on the eve of the Marathi Language Day, that is celebrated on 27 February across Maharashtra.