Mumbai, April 15: Nitish Kumar spoke a few sentences in Marathi and ended his speech with the words “Jai Maharashtra” and “Jai Bihar” as the centenary celebration of Bihar Day got off at an event in Mumbai today.

“I cannot speak Marathi. But I have always requested Devesh who lives in Mumbai to teach me the language,” the Bihar chief minister said in Marathi.

“I am enthusiastic about learning Marathi, which is such a sweet language, just like its people,” he added before switching to Hindi.

The words, taught by convener Devesh Thakur, came two days after a “misunderstanding” over Nitish’s alleged statement that he did not need a visa to go to Mumbai was sorted out.

“I do not know why situations arise when Biharis face trouble here,” Nitish told the 10,000-strong crowd. “Since many years, people have been coming to Mumbai from different places to earn their living left with no choice. But wherever Biharis have gone and settled… they have significantly contributed and have not been a burden.”

At the event, on the Somaiyya grounds in central Mumbai, Nitish paid tribute to Chhatrapati Shivaji, social reformer Jyotiba Phule and B.R. Ambedkar. He invited the state to celebrate Maharashtra Day on May 1 in Bihar. “Being a Bihari does not mean being anti-Maharashtra. I would invite them to Bihar for a similar celebration on Maharashtra Day,” he said.