Mumbai
The budget session of the Maharashtra legislature began on a stormy note on Monday with opposition parties boycotting Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao’s address to the joint sitting of both Houses to voice their protest against his recent remarks on the RSS.

In remarks made in Nagpur earlier this month, Rao described the RSS as one of the most secular and inclusive organisations and said it had always respected the right of individuals to practise their own faith.

Expressing displeasure over the remarks, opposition members stayed away from the Central Hall where the governor delivered his address to the joint sitting of both the Houses on the first day of the budget session.

“A governor’s post is constitutional. We had doubts whether his speech was going to be in the interest of the state or the RSS. Hence, we decided to boycott it,” he added.

NCP’s group leader in the Assembly Jayant Patil told reporters outside the House that the opposition had taken the decision to protest Rao’s support to the RSS, “which sows the seeds of divisiveness”.

Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Council Dhananjay Munde said they decided to boycott the address because they “were doubtful if it will be the governor’s address or that of a RSS person”.

“A governor’s post is constitutional and his remarks were unwarranted. The governor supports the RSS. The promises made by the governor have remained unfulfilled, so we have decided to boycott his speech,” Patil said.