Maharashtra Congress Chief Nana Patole has condemned Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari’s statement, demanding an apology from him.
“We condemn the remarks made by Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari. He should apologise to the public. He should be removed from his position with immediate effect,” said Nana Patole on Saturday.
Patole further said, “Koshyari even does not know the history of Maharashtra. The state has turned Dhiru Bhai Ambani into a great industrialist. Here in Maharashtra, people from every state are respected. Governor’s statement is not appropriate and therefore, the President, the Prime Minister and The Home Minister of the country should intervene in this matter.”
Earlier on Friday, during a speech at a public event in Mumbai’s Andheri, Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh 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 people of both these states are not here, then it won’t be called financial capital.”
The statement, however, triggered a political storm with many claiming that the sentiments of Marathi people were hurt and their contribution ignored. Many political leaders took to Twitter to oppose the governor’s statement.
Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut claimed that Koshyari’s speech was an insult to the people of Maharashtra. He urged Chief Minister Eknath Shinde to condemn the statement. “The Marathi man gets insulted as soon as a BJP-sponsored Chief Minister is in power. CM Shinde should, at least, condemn the Governor. This is an insult to Marathi hard-working people,” Raut said in a tweet on Saturday.
In another tweet, Raut said, “Chief Minister Shinde, are you listening? That your Maharashtra is different. If you have self-respect, then seek the resignation of the governor.
Shiv Sena MP Priyanka Chaturvedi, meanwhile, demanded an apology from the governor. “This is an insult to the hard work of the people of Maharashtra and Marathi Manoos who have toiled day in and day out to make the state the leading state of the country. The Governor should apologize immediately, failing which, we will demand to replace him,” she tweeted.
