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Journalism of Courage
OPPOSITION PARTIES in Maharashtra on Monday continued to gun for Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari over his remarks on Chhattrapati Shivaji Maharaj and sought his removal from the post, even as rumours swirled through the day that Koshyari himself was keen on stepping down. However, the Raj Bhavan denied that the Governor had made any such request.
“One can understand a slip of tongue once. But if a person is committing the mistake repeatedly, then it gives an impression that it is being done intentionally. First Savitribai and Mahatma Phule, then Shivaji Maharaj, the Governor has been making it a habit to make such statements,” said Leader of Opposition Ajit Pawar.
Meanwhile, reports about Koshyari requesting that he be allowed to step down from the Governor’s post kept making rounds in political circles. But a Raj Bhavan spokesperson said, “All these reports are baseless and the Governor has made no such request to anyone”.
Sources said the central government was unlikely to bow in front of the Opposition’s demand to sack Koshyari and instead, he will be given an honourable exit to ensure none of the opposition parties get the credit for the same.
Taking on Koshyari, Pawar on Monday said a person is appointed to the Governor’s position by higher-ups and they should take care that such statements are not repeated. “When I met him (Koshyari), he used to say that he wanted to go back to his home state. The Centre must decide on this immediately and nobody should try to support his statements,” he said.
At the convocation ceremony of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University at Aurangabad, Koshyari had said, “If somebody asks you who is your favourite hero, then there is no need to go outside. There are plenty in Maharashtra. Shivaji is a thing of the past era. I am talking about a new era. You will get many, from Dr Ambedkar to Nitin Gadkari, you will get them here.” At the event, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari and Pawar were presented with honorary D.Lit degrees.
“It is saddening to see that BJP and its allies are supporting the Governor despite his statements about Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. These parties base their entire politics on Shivaji Maharaj but instead of condemning the statements demeaning Maharaj, they are supporting it. We should ideally all come together by keeping politics aside,” said NCP leader and Lok Sabha MP Supriya Sule.
Former Rajya Sabha MP Sambhajiraje Chhatrapati, who is a descendant of Shivaji Maharaj’s family, said, “ It is shocking as to why the Centre is not recalling the Governor.” He has already written letters to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Draupadi Murmu to transfer Koshyari out of Maharashtra.
Shambhuraj Desai, state Excise Minister and a leader of Balasahebanchi Shiv Sena said that he, along with others, has been repeatedly saying that the Governor’s statement is wrong.
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