Mah legislature adjourned after paying tributes to Chandra Shekhar

Mumbai, July 16 (UNI) Both Houses of the Maharashtra legislature were adjourned for the day today after paying homage to former Prime Minister Chandra Shekhar who passed away recently.

The three-week Monsoon Session of the state legislature commenced here from today.

Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh moved the condolence motion in the Legislative Assembly while Deputy Chief Minister R R Patil did the same in the Upper House.

The Legislative Assembly also paid tributes to former members Ramkrishna Krishnarao Patil, Jaswant Nanubhai Mehta and Mahalingappa Basalingappa.

Moving the condolence motion in the Assembly, Mr Deshmukh said Chandra Shekhar was a true secular nationalist who never compromised on his principles. He was a studious parliamentarian, the Chief Minister added.

Paying rich tributes to Ramkrishna Krishnarao Patil, who passed away in his 100th year recently, Mr Deshmukh recalled he was a staunch supporter of the Samyukta Maharashtra movement and one of the signatories to the Nagpur Pact following which Vidarbha, which was part of the Central Provinces, was merged into Maharashtra.

The Chief Minister described R K Patil as an efficient administrator in the erstwhile Central Provinces and a leading light of the Sarvodaya movement.

The condolence motion was seconded by Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Assembly Ramdas Kadam. Peasants and Workers Party (PWP) leader Ganpatrao Deshmukh, CPM leader Narsayya Adam, and Swantantra Bharat Party leader Wamanrao Chatap recalled R K Patil's contributions towards the upliftment of poor and how he tried to initiate a dialogue between Jaiprakash Narayan and former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi but in vain.

Narsing Gurunath Patil of Jansurajya Shakti party spoke about Chandra Shekhar's sympathies for Maharashtra and feelings that the state had been wronged during the reorganisation of states in which some areas on the Maharashtra-Karnataka boundary had been included in Karnataka. ''He would always ask how did this mistake happen?'' Mr Patil recalled. He also spoke of Chandra Sekhar's oft-repeated question, ''Maharashtra mein ek Shivaji, baki kya kar rahein hai? Aap Pawar ko Shivaji nahi bana sakte kya? (Maharashtra has only one Shivaji, what are others doing. Can't you make Sharad Pawar another Shivaji).'' Forest Minister Babanrao Pachpute said Chandra Shekhar was a good guide to young political workers. ''He was a straight forward person,'' he added.

UNI