Governor BS Koshyari asked Uddhav Thackeray if he had turned secular. He delivers a biting response

The tussle between Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government and Maharashtra governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari has escalated over the opening up of religious places in the state. Responding to Koshyari’s letter on the issue, chief minister Uddhav Thackeray said he does not need a “certificate” on Hindutva from the Governor.

In response to a curt letter by the Governor on reopening of places of worship, Thackeray wrote back that his Hindutva does not permit him to welcome a person who called Mumbai ‘Pakistan occupied Kashmir’.

In the letter, the chief minister said that while the government is actively thinking about demands to open up temples and other religious places, its primary duty is the safety of people during the pandemic.

In the October 12 letter, the Governor had said, “I wonder if you are receiving any divine premonition to keep postponing the reopening of the places of worship time and again or have you suddenly turned ‘secular ‘ yourselves, the term you hated?”

Responding to the letter, the CM said, “Do you mean that opening up religious places is Hindutva, and not opening them means being secular? Secularism is a crucial base of the oath you took as Governor. Do you not believe it?”

Thackeray added that he does not need any preaching on Hindutva. “Sir, you mention Hindutva in your letter, but I do not need any certificate or any teaching on Hindutva from you. My Hindutva does not permit me to welcome home a person who called my Maharashtra or Mumbai Pakistan occupied Kashmir.”