Saamana pulls up Governor, says he showed how someone in his position should not behave

The Governor had demanded that places of worship be reopened, despite the Covid-19 outbreak, and also asked CM Thackeray if he had suddenly “turned secular”

Saamana, the Shiv Sena mouthpiece, on Thursday launched an attack on Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari over his letter to the state chief minister and party chief Uddhav Thackeray and alleged that it was an example of how a person occupying the gubernatorial post should not behave.

The Saamana editorial pointed out that the chief minister responded to the letter in his signature “Thackeray style” (HT)

The editorial pointed out that the CM responded to the letter in his signature “Thackeray style”.

“Bhagat Singh Koshyari has shown how a person occupying the post of a Governor should not behave. Koshyari may have been a Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) pracharak or a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)leader, but now he is the governor of a progressive state such as Maharashtra. He seems to have forgotten the post he occupies for his convenience. The BJP leaders of Maharashtra indulges in a slander campaign against the state government every morning. It is understandable. But why is the governor a part of the campaign?” the editorial alleged.

There has been a bitter exchange of letters between Governor Koshyari and CM Thackeray. The Governor had demanded that places of worship be reopened, despite the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) outbreak, and also asked CM Thackeray if he had suddenly “turned secular”.

In a strong rebuttal, the CM questioned the Governor whether he did not believe in secularism, a key tenet of the Constitution. Thackeray also slammed Koshyari for his statement that his brand of Hindutva did not need any certificate from the latter.

“The Governor’s letter to the CM reeks of foolishness. The CM has hit out against it only once and that was enough... This resonance of the tolling bells (referring to BJP’ Ghantanaad agitation to reopen the places of worship) must have reached Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Minister of Home Affairs Amit Shah’s ears. They must recall the Governor to save the prestige of the Raj Bhavan,” it said.

The party mouthpiece lauded the CM’s response to the Governor’s letter.

“The CM caught the loincloth (dhoti) of the Governor and shook the Raj Bhavan. Using this language will be unconstitutional. But it is true that the CM responded in his signature Thackeray style,” it added.

The editorial slammed Governor Koshyari, who is also holding the additional charge of Goa , and asked why he had not written a letter to Goa CM Pramod Sawant demanding reopening of places of worship.

It alleged that famous temples in Goa such as Mangeshi, Mahalaxmi, Mahalsa are still shut. “Why has Governor Koshyari not asked Goa CM Sawant to reopen the places of worship? Such questions are only asked in Maharashtra because the state doesn’t have a BJP CM,” the editorial further alleged.