The opposition did not allow the smooth functioning of the house raising slogans demanding that the lone surviving convicted Pakistani terrorist Mohammed Ajmal Amer Qasab in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack should be executed immediately, otherwise the Congress-Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) led Democratic front government in the state should resign.

The speaker repeatedly appealed to the opposition members who had rushed to the well of the house, to maintain peace and return back to their benches, but this had no effect on the opposition members, forcing the Speaker Dilip Walse-Patil to adjourn the house.

The assembly session which began on Monday was adjourned for the day without transacting any business after the house paid tributes to the martyrs of the recent Mumbai bomb blasts.

Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan told the house that the perpetrators of the blasts would be tracked down soon and the government would initiate strong measures to ensure that such incidents do not take place in Mumbai or any part of the state.

Chavan described the recent Mumbai blasts as a “very cowardly act.”

In the Legislative Council, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar moved a condolence motion in memory of the victims and set aside the first day’s proceedings. While remembering the 24 dead and over 100 injured, Pawar said: “We have an attitude of not harming anyone, but some people are misinterpreting it as our weakness. Therefore, we need to take strong steps to teach them a lesson.”