Mumbai: Maharastra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari wrote to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray a few days back asking him if he had "suddenly turned secular." Later, the Shiv Sena attacked Koshyari and accused him of acting against the state government.
Thackeray explained that lockdown imposition over midnight did not turn out to be right, so unlock measures should be implemented bit by bit. He further said that he is an ardent follower of Hindutva, but he does not need the Governor's approval for his devotion.
"Bhagat Singh Koshyari has shown how a person sitting on the post of the Governor should not behave. He may have been a 'Sangh Pracharak' or a leader of the BJP, but today he is the Governor of a progressive state like Maharashtra, he seems to have forgotten this thing as per his convenience," the Shiv Sena said in an editorial in its mouthpiece Saamana. The party also remarked the Governor's action as an unreasonable step.
Sena questioned the timing of Governor's letter to the Chief Minister and accused him of acting as per BJP's agenda.
"The BJP started a protest to open the temples in the State. The Governor was not required to participate in that political movement. As soon as the BJP's movement started, the Governor wrote a letter to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray. The letter reached the newspapers during the course of its journey to the Chief Minister," the party said.
Read: A timeline of tussle between Maharashtra's Guv and Chief Minister
Sena further clarified its stance of opening bars and restaurants and keeping the temples closed for devotees. The party said that the restaurants have been opened as per COVID-19 protocol. The party further made it clear that abstaining from devotion is not its stance. Restriction on crowding in temples is the best possible measure to contain the virus as per the direction from Minister of Health, Dr Harsh Vardhan
"Our Governor is also the Governor of Goa at present. Goa is a true land of Gods. All Devasthans like Mangeshi, Mahalakshmi, Mahalasa are in Goa. This time, the famous Dussehra festival celebrated at Kamakshi Devasthan has also been cancelled," the party said. Sena questioned the intention of Koshyari and asked why despite being Governor of both Goa and Maharashtra, he wrote only to Maharashtra Chief Minister regarding the opening of temples. Important temples in the Union Territory are closed for devotees, the party pointed out.
The Governor on Tuesday wrote a letter to Thackeray expressing concerns over the delay in reopening of temples. Koshyari had questioned whether the Shiv Sena leader had "turned secular".Responding to the Governor, Thackeray had said that the delay in reopening of places of worship was ordered due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
(ANI)
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