INDIA. Mumbai: A public interest litigation has been filed in the Bombay High Court, against Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari, demanding that he be removed from the governorship for allegedly vitiating communal amity with his “baseless” utterances.
The writ petition has been filed by Deepak Jagdev through Advocate Nitin Satpute, who claims that the Governor’s recent demeaning remarks against Maratha Emperor Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj have generated statewide protests, disturbing the peace. Koshyari has a series of controversial statements to his credit in the last few months, as the petitioner has pointed out.
“Shivaji Maharaj is a subject of old times. You will find your heroes here. No need to go out for that. ‘From Dr. Ambedkar to Pawar’ these are the current ideals till Gadkari,” Koshyari said.
While recently speaking at 62nd annual convocation ceremony of Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University (BAMU) in Aurangabad on November 19, Koshyari referred to the Maratha emperor as a hero “from the old era,” evoking spontaneous protests all over the state.
Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari, on Saturday, showered praise on NCP chief Sharad Pawar and Union minister Nitin Gadkari as he conferred the honorary DLitt on them.
Shiv Sena (Uddhav Thackeray), Congress, and NCP activists staged angry protest demonstrations in Pune. The Congress workers staged a demonstration on Monday against Koshyari and BJP spokesman Sudhanshi Trivedi for their derogatory remarks about Shivaji Maharaj. Similar protest demonstrations were also held in different parts of Mumbai.
Ambadas Danve, the leader of the Opposition in the State Legislative Council who led the protest in Mumbai, accused Koshyari of repeatedly making insulting remarks about Shivaji Maharaj.“The Governor has been hurting the sentiments of the people of Maharashtra time and again. It is high time he is sacked, as the public will no longer tolerate such acts,” he said.
In Aurangabad, the local unit of Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) staged a protest demonstration against Koshyari at the TV Center.
Addressing the gathering, MNS Aurangabad president Sumit Khambekar said, “The Union Government should recall Koshyari since he has no respect for the heroes of the state. He must be asked to step down without wasting any time.”
Different Maratha groups also held a joint agitation by burning Koshyari’s effigy. “The Governor should be wary of wary of visiting Aurangabad next time,” Maratha activist Kiran Kale said.
The lineal descendants of Shivaji Maharaj-BJP MP Udayan Raje Bhosale, BJP MLA Shivendra Raje Bhosale, and former BJP MP Yuvraj Sambhajiraje Chhatrapati, have vociferously protested against Koshyari’s utterances.
The Governor had earlier mocked Social reformer Savitribai Jyotiba Phule’s child marriage. Similarly, he stoked controversy by saying that Samarth Ramdas was Chhatrapati Shivaji’s ‘guru’ contrary to historical evidence.
He had also said that if Gujaratis and Rajasthanis were removed from Maharashtra, especially Mumbai and Thane, no money would be left and Mumbai would not be able to remain the financial capital of the country.
Meanwhile, the Governor will be in Delhi on Thursday and Friday in connection with his prior engagements. It is not clear whether a discussion will be held on the controversy arising out of his remarks against Shivaji Maharaj.
Also Read: Governor Koshyari’s Comments Triggers Row in Maharashtra
