Former Maharashtra chief minister and BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis emerged the latest voice criticising state Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari for comments on Marathi people and Maharashtra. Koshyari has said that there will be no money left in Mumbai and it will cease to be the financial capital of the country if Gujaratis and Rajasthanis are removed from the city. "I don't agree with the governor's statement. Marathi people have contributed to process of development of Maharashtra. Many other people were involved in this development journey but the importance of Marathi people cannot be diminished," Fadnavis said, reported ANI.
As Koshyari's statement made during an event on Friday evening kicked up a row with political parties objecting to it, the governor on Saturday said his comments were "misconstrued", and also made it clear that he had "no intention of belittling the hard work of the Marathi-speaking people in the progress and development of Maharashtra".
The Congress slammed the statements. Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh also said Koshyari is occupying the chair only because he faithfully obeys the two top people in the government. "His name is 'Koshyari'. But as a governor, there is no wisdom in what he says or does. He is sitting on the chair only because he faithfully obeys the command of 'We Two'," Ramesh said in a tweet in Hindi while sharing Koshyari's speech.
Congress leader Milind Deora cited the example of his parents and said Mumbai's strength is its diversity. "My father was from Rajasthan and my mother from Kolhapur. Yet they identified as Mumbaikars and Maharashtrians. Mumbai's original inhabitants welcomed all with love and respect. Its diversity is its greatest strength," Deora wrote on Twitter. "Why discriminate when Mumbai doesn't?" he asked.
Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray demanded an apology from Koshyari, and said the time has come to decide whether he should be sent back home or to jail. Thackeray also accused the governor of "polarising Hindus living peacefully" in Mumbai and Thane.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Saturday said he does not agree with Koshyari's statements. He asserted that the contribution made by Marathi people to the growth of the city can never be disregarded. He also said that the governor occupies a constitutional post and he should be careful about not offending anyone through his statements.
Maharashtra BJP MLA Ashish Shelar said those occupying top posts must speak with care and caution, but added that comments like Thackeray's "show him Kolhapuri sandals" were unwarranted.
