In yet another face-off between Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari and Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray over opening of temples in the State , the latter told Mr. Koshyari that he does not require certificate of Hindutva from the Governor.
Mr. Koshyari, who had been visited by several delegations of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders demanding opening of temples, had sent a letter to Mr. Thackeray on October 12. The letter made political comments asking Mr. Thackeray as to whether he has suddenly turned “secular” and whether he is receiving “divine premonition” to keep postponing reopening of places of worships.
Replying to Mr. Koshyari, the Maharashtra CM in his letter of October 13 said, “I appreciate the mention of Hindutva in your letter, but my Hindutva does not require your certificate. My Hindutva does not appreciate welcoming a person with a smile, who termed my state or the capital of my state as Pakistan Occupied Kashmir.” Actor Kangana Ranaut who had termed Mumbai as PoK was allowed a visit by Mr. Koshyari at Raj Bhavan.
“Do you consider opening temples as Hindutva and not opening them as secularism? Then what about the Constitution on which you were sworn in as Governor? Secularism is a core of Constitution. Don't you follow Constitution?” asked Mr. Thackeray.
“You seem puzzled as to whether I get divine premonition. I am not as great as you are and therefore I have no such experiences like you. I only observe good and bad things happening in other states and work honestly to do better in Maharashtra,” he said.
Taunting Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s abrupt call for lockdown , Mr. Thackeray said, “Government’s priority is to save their lives while safeguarding their emotions and beliefs. As it is wrong to abruptly implement lockdown, it is wrong to suddenly revoke it,” he said, informing that the State government is presently undertaking ‘My family, My responsibility’ campaign which involved door-to-door health check-up. “Maharashtra is the only state in the country to do so,” he said.
Exposing the politics behind the demand of opening places of worshipping, Mr Thackeray said all three letters attached by Mr. Koshyari were from the BJP and its supporters. “It could be a coincidence. Let that be. The state government is seriously thinking over these demands and decision in this regard will be taken at the earliest,” said Mr Thackeray.
