The war of words between Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshiyari and Chief Miniser Uddhav Thackeray has triggered a bitter political fight with Shiv Sena now mulling to write to President Ram Nath Kovind seeking Governor’s removal.
“Extremely upset with the tone and tenor” of the letter written by Governor Koshiyari, Shiv Sena will take the next step after a discussion with its allies.
Koshiyari in his letter had said that he has received three representations from delegations demanding that places of religious worship be reopened in Maharashtra to which Thackeray pointed out that it was a coincidence that all three letters Koshyari mentioned were from BJP office-bearers and supporters.
शिवसेना पक्षप्रमुख, मुख्यमंत्री उद्धव बाळासाहेब ठाकरे यांनी मा. राज्यपाल भगत सिंह कोश्यारी जी यांच्या पत्राला उत्तर दिले आहे. pic.twitter.com/8duuQl45tV
— Office of Uddhav Thackeray (@OfficeofUT) October 13, 2020
He also curtly asked Thackeray, “Have you suddenly turned secular?” Responding to this, Thackeray wondered if Hindutva meant merely reopening places of religious worship for the Governor and if not opening them was to him being secular.
“Isn’t secularism a key component of the Constitution, by which you swore while taking oath as the state governor. While considering the sentiments and beliefs of the people, it is also important to take care of their lives and it is wrong to impose and lift lockdown suddenly,” Thackeray said in his reply.
Taking strong objection to Koshiyari’s words, Uddhav said that he doesn’t need lessons on Hindutva from anyone.
Very unfortunate that this is coming from a Governor, someone who has sworn an oath on the Constitution. That oath did not require a test on ‘Hindutva-ness’. The CM’s commitment to Hindutva in discharging his duties is irrelevant & should not even have been raised. https://t.co/maKx2nuOE1
— Asaduddin Owaisi (@asadowaisi) October 13, 2020
Meanwhile, AIMIM Chief Asaduddin Owaisi took to Twitter and wrote, “Very unfortunate that this is coming from a Governor, someone who has sworn an oath on the Constitution. That oath did not require a test on ‘Hindutva-ness’. The CM’s commitment to Hindutva in discharging his duties should not even have been raised”.
NCP chief and Shiv Sena ally Sharad Pawar too slammed Maharashtra Governor over his letter to Uddhav.
Unfortunately Hon. Governor’s letter to the Chief Minister invokes the connotation as if written to the leader of a political party.
— Sharad Pawar (@PawarSpeaks) October 13, 2020
