Absence of Marathi translation irks Opposition

Mumbai:  A day before the state is to observe the Marathi Rajbhasha Din, the official language day, the Maharashtra government was left red-faced over a gaffe related to the translation of the governor’s speech during a joint session of the legislature on Monday. The members of the House couldn’t listen to the speech — which was in English — in Marathi due to the absence of a reader, who could have translated it in real time.

Subsequently, the Opposition slamm ed the incident as disrespectful of the language and the state. Considering the sensitivity of the issue, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis extended an apology to the House. Also, an inquiry into the incident and the sacking of the officers concerned were announced in the Assembly.

Governor C. Vidyasagar Rao on Monday addressed the joint meeting of both Houses of the Maharashtra legislature on the first day of the budget session. Generally, when a non-Marathi speaking governor addresses the members, the legislature secretariat hires a Marathi translator and reader to provide a real-time translation to the attending members. However, a reader was not summoned — to the ire of Opposition members.

The ruling members had a huddle that lasted for fifteen minutes over the issue following which senior minister Vinod Tawde read out the translated version of the governor’s speech. Meanwhile, opposition members boycotted Mr Rao’s speech in protest of the absence of a Marathi translation.

When the Assembly proceedings started, Opposition leader Radha-krishna Vikhe-Patil and other members such as Dilip Walse-Patil mentioned the issue on the floor of the House, terming it a failure of the state government. To pacify them, CM said, “The incident is serious and must be probed thoroughly. I extend an apology for the mistake. There should be immediate action against the officers concerned.”