As soon as the Governor R S Gavai began reading out his address before the joint session of the House, the CPI-ML MLA Arun Kumar started reading out his parallel speech denouncing the NDA government for its failure on all fronts particularly on law and order and rise in crime against the Dalits. Even the issue of Kahalgaon firing was raised by the opposition.

The RJD MLAs like the former minister, Shakuni Choudhary and Mundrika Singh Yadav, raised slogans on the government’s failure to condemn Maharashtra Navnirman Sena and Shiv Sena. The former was was heard shouting that the governor should do something to ensure the safety of Biharis in Maharashtra. The opposition members raised slogans against Raj and Bal Thackeray and even sought trial for treason against them.

Later, when reporters sought the comment of the governor he said the reaction was natural. Whatever was being done against Biharis and other Hindi-speaking people by a handful of misguided people was condemnable. He said that the Constitution gave the people the right to earn livelihood in any part of the country.

“I am Indian first and Indian last,” he said adding that he had turned a Bihari ever since landing here as Governor. He said he too was concerned over what was happening in Maharashtra and that he had even written to the Prime Minister and Union home minister in this regard.

Though the opposition parties directed their anger against the state government as the governor is supposed to read the speech approved by the state cabinet the BJP leaders tried to paint it as an insult to Mr Gavai in person. The deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi even criticized the opposition for insulting a Dalit governor.

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