Gandhinagar, March 1 (IANS): Gujarat Governor Acharya Devvrat on Monday addressed the Assembly on the first day of the budget 21-22 session, which will continue for the month. Devvrat expressed condolences over the deaths in Gujarat due to Covid-19. Condolences over the passing away of members of the Assembly, including former Chief Ministers Madhavsinh Solanki and Keshubhai Patel were also offered in the House.

The Governor welcomed the members of the House, opening the proceedings with his address.

"I heartily appreciate the unique service given by all the corona warriors, frontline warriors and religious social service oriented organisations in the public and private sectors for giving unique services in the prevention of corona infection during the lockdown," Devvrat told the House.

He paid homage to the victims of the pandemic. "On behalf of all the members of this Assembly, I pay homage to all the persons who died of corona infection," Devvrat said.

The Governor also thanked the opposition Congress party members for keeping order in the House and maintaining peace, respecting his request to do so.

During last year's budget session of the Assembly, Devvrat had to abruptly cut short his address to the House due to the uproar created by the Congress.

As per tradition on the first day of the session, the members offered condolences to the deceased legislators. Homage was paid to the 13 legislators of the Assembly who passed away during the past six months.

Almost all the members who spoke praised both the former Gujarat chief ministers, Madhavsinh Solanki of the Congress and Keshubhai Patel of the BJP, who passed away during the past couple of months.

Due to the condolences, the House timings for the sitting were extended and all the scheduled business was postponed.