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- Published: July 30, 2022 13:52
New Delhi: Maharashtra governor Bhagat Singh Koshiyrari kicked up a controversy on Saturday as he claimed that people from Gujarat & Rajasthan formed the ‘backbone’ of Maharashtra and the cities likes Mumbai & Thane would become ‘penniless’ if they leave.
Speaking at an event in Mumbai’s Andheri, the Governor said, “I keep telling people that if Gujaratis and Rajasthanis are removed from Maharashtra, especially Mumbai and Thane, no money would be left here. Mumbai, the financial capital of the country, would not remain the same.”
The remark was enough to draw flak from the Shiv Sena and also Raj Thackeray’s Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), both of the parties whose politics is mostly centered around Maratha pride.
Sena’s Raut slams Governor, demands apology
Shiv Sena spokesperson Sanjay Raut was quick to condemn Governor Koshiyari’s insulting statement and made an urgent appeal to Chief Minister Eknath Shinde to take action for derogatory remarks.
महाराष्ट्रात भाजपा पुरस्कृत मुख्यमंत्री होताच मराठी माणूस आणि शिवरायांचा अपमान सुरू झाला..स्वाभिमान अभिमान यावर बाहेर पडलेला गट हे ऐकूनही गप्प बसणार असेल तर शिवसेनेचे नाव घेऊ नका..मुख्यमंत्री शिंदे..राज्यपालांचा साधा निषेध तरी करा.मराठी कष्टकरी जनतेचा हा अपमान आहे..
ऐका .. ऐका… pic.twitter.com/dOvC2B0CFu— Sanjay Raut (@rautsanjay61) July 30, 2022
“The Marathi man gets insulted as soon as a BJP-sponsored chief minister is in power. CM Shinde, at least condemn the Governor. This is an insult to Marathi people,” Raut tweeted.
Sena MP Priyanka Chaturvedi also demanded an immediate apology from the Governor.
MNS too objects to ‘insult to Marathi pride’
MNS chief Raj Thackeray said that Governor Koshiyari has insulted the sentiments of Marathi people with his irresponsible remarks and he must take back them.
Koshiyari’s clarification
As the controversy escalated, the Governor issued a clarification and said that he had no intention of hurting the sentiments of people.
“Marathi manoos [Marathis] worked hard to establish what Maharashtra is today. So there is no question of demeaning or underestimating them,” he added.