In an unprecedented scene, the Maharashtra Governor stopped his address on the first day of the Budget session of the State legislature in less than a minute and left the building amid sloganeering by Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLAs demanding the resignation of Cabinet Minister Nawab Malik. Mr. Malik is in the custody of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for his alleged involvement in money laundering cases linked to gangster Dawood Ibrahim.
As Mr. Koshyari entered the hall, MLAs from the ruling MVA chanted slogans hailing Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in a reference to Mr. Koshyari’s controversial comment on the Maratha king few days ago. When the Governor rose to speak, BJP MLAs displayed posters of Dawood Ibrahim and Nawab Malik inside the hall, demanding Mr. Malik’s ouster. Mr. Koshyari tabled the speech, barely spoke three lines, closed his file, and left the venue, leaving the ruling side stunned. Both Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar appeared at a loss. As ruling party MLAs gathered around them, the national anthem was played.
The ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) condemned the Governor’s abrupt departure. The national anthem is traditionally played after every Governor’s speech to the joint session. The MVA also slammed the BJP for disrupting the Governor’s speech.
