Mumbai, Feb 25 (IANS): The Maharashtra Opposition has labelled Governor C.V. Rao as an "RSS man" and boycotted his customary address to the joint sitting of the state legislature on the first day of the Budget Session here on Monday.

Opposition members squatted on the steps of the Vidhan Bhavan (legislature building), raised anti-government slogans like "Gandhi hum sharminda hai, tere qatil zinda hai" (Gandhi we are ashamed, your killers are still alive).

Earlier this month, Governor Rao had stated publicly that he was "proud" to be a part of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), which he described as one of the most inclusive and secular organisations in the country.

In a series of tweets on Monday, Leader of Opposition in Council Dhananjay Munde said to protest the recent (January 30) insult to Gandhi by the Hindu Janjagruti Samiti in Uttar Pradesh, the state Opposition parties carried out a silent protest and boycotted the Governor's address.

Munde also sought to know that after admitting to RSS links despite holding a constitutional post, "will the Hon. Governor work in the interest of the people of the state or push the RSS's agenda as its worker? Hence we have decided to boycott his address to the legislature".

Former Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan said that persons occupying constitutional positions like the Governor making such remarks was "highly condemnable".

This is the first time the Maharashtra Opposition has boycotted the Governor's address in the past five years of the Bharatiya Janata Party-Shiv Sena rule.

Setting the mood for the week-long budget session, the entire Opposition on Sunday boycotted the Chief Minister's customary session-eve tea party.