The two Houses of Bihar Legislature today mourned the death of Nelson Mandela besides people and policemen killed in Maoist attacks in the state.
As the six-day winter session of the Assembly began, Speaker Udai Narayan Chaudhary read out the name of Nelson Mandela, a Bharat Ratna awardee.
The Speaker described Mandela, South Africa's first elected black president, as a great Gandhian who fought against apartheid and racial discrimination.
Mandela was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993.
The death of those killed in Maoist attacks was also condoled.
Among those who paid respects were Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Leader of the Opposition Nand Kishore Yadav.
Obituary reference was also made to former state ministers Anoop Lal Yadav, Lutfur Rahman, Rudra Pratap Padangi, former MP D P Yadav and former union minister Harikishore Singh.
They paid respect to many former legislators, including Rambriksha Chaudhary, Ram Pravesh Paswan, Chaturbhuj Prasad Singh, Rambali Pandey, Najmuddin, Munisheswar Prasad Singh, Rajgir Chaudhary, Haridwar Prasad and Baleshwar Singh Paswan.
The upper house also condoled death of Mandela and others.
After the obituary references, the Speaker adjourned the House till Monday.
