President Murmu to address Maharashtra legislators at Vidhan Bhavan on July 29

President Droupadi Murmu. File Photo

President Droupadi Murmu will address the Maharashtra legislature on July 29 to mark the centenary celebration of the state legislative council, Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar and Deputy Chairperson of the Upper House Neelam Gorhe told reporters on Wednesday.

According to the PTI report, as many as 172 former council members, along with current MLAs and MLCs, will attend the function at the central hall of Vidhan Bhavan, they said.

A book will be released on the occasion to commemorate the history of the legislative council, which came into being on February 19, 1921, said Narwekar and Gorhe.

Additionally, they noted, 'Best Speech' and 'Best Legislator' awards, presented by the Maharashtra branch of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, will be given away. The awards have been reportedly pending since 2018.

As per the PTI report, the presiding officers, Narwekar and Gorhe, expressed confidence that the function will add a 'golden chapter to the illustrious legacy of the state legislature'.

Speaking about the delay in filling the vacant post of legislative council chairperson, speaker Narwekar said efforts are being made on that front, according to PTI.

Earlier this month, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar addressed a joint sitting of both houses to mark the centenary of the Maharashtra legislative council.

Maharashtra not mentioned even once in FM's speech, says Aaditya Thackeray

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray on Tuesday said Maharashtra was not mentioned even once by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in her Union Budget 2024 speech and alleged bias against the state despite being the largest taxpayer.

In a post on X, Thackeray also accused the Centre of looting Maharashtra by installing a "corrupt regime" and then through taxes.

"I can understand the BJP wanting to save its government and giving Bihar and Andhra Pradesh a huge sum of the budget. But what is Maharashtra's fault? That we are the largest taxpayers? What did we get for what we contributed?"

"Was Maharashtra mentioned even once in the budget? Why does the BJP hate and insult Maharashtra so much? This isn't the first time, through the entire past decade of BJP's government, we have seen this bias against Maharashtra," Thackeray claimed.

(With inputs from PTI)