Maharashtra Governor Koshyari apologises for remarks on Gujaratis, Rajasthanis

Koshyari said that he received tremendous love from people of the state and he tried his best to add to the pride of Maharashtra and Marathi language.

Koshyari's remarks had sparked a row across the state (File photo)

Days after his statement on Mumbai losing its financial capital status if Gujarati and Rajasthani people left the city, Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari issued an apology on Monday. He said he couldn’t even imagine that his unintentional mistake would be considered as an insult to Maharashtra.

At a function in Mumbai last Friday, Koshyari said, “Sometimes, I tell people in Maharashtra that if Gujarati and Rajasthani people are removed from here, then you will be left with no money. You call Mumbai the financial capital but if these (Gujarati and Rajasthani) people are not here, then it won’t be called the financial capital.”

The Opposition was quick to demand Koshyari’s apology, and even his ouster, while the latter said the next day that his statement was misconstrued.

His statement on Monday said, “I may have committed a mistake while speaking at a public function in Andheri on July 29, where I was talking about the contribution of a few communities in the development of Mumbai. All have contributed to the development of not only Maharashtra but the entire country. Our country is on the path of development especially because of the concerned state’s inclusivity and traditions of taking everyone along.”

He said that he received tremendous love from people of the state and he tried his best to add to the pride of Maharashtra and Marathi language. “But, I can’t even imagine that I committed an unintentional mistake in the speech and that mistake is considered a great insult to Maharashtra. I am sure that people of Maharashtra will forgive me as per the teachings of great saints of Maharashtra,” he said.

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