NCP chief Sharad Pawar taunts Maharashtra Governor regarding his book

The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar again targeted Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari over his “secular” jibe at chief minister (CM)

The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar again targeted Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari over his “secular” jibe at chief minister (CM) Uddhav Thackeray regarding the opening of temples in the state. On Wednesday, Pawar said that the coffee table book published by the Governor’s office on September 11, on completion of the first year of his five-year term has covered most of the events with photos, except the hastily-planned swearing-in ceremony for former chief minister Devendra Fadnavis. The NCP leader pointed out that the book also doesn’t mention his advice on secularism to Thackeray.

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Pawar took this dig in a letter sent to the Governor, expressing his gratitude for sending him the coffee table book titled Janrajyapal: Bhagat Singh Koshyari. The book was published by the Governor’s secretariat after Koshyari completed one year in office recently. A copy of the book was sent to various dignitaries including Pawar.

“I am sincerely thankful to you for sending me the ‘self-famous’ coffee table book titled ‘Janrajyapal: Bhagat Singh Koshyari… In reality, the Constitution of India has no mention of the term ‘Janrajyapal’. Despite this, the book is being published by the state government, which throws light on your limited tenure of one year,” the letter stated.

“I found out that the book has pictures from many events of your limited tenure such as reception ceremonies, convocation ceremonies, meeting with high ranking dignitaries, social and cultural programs except one or two swearing-in ceremonies,” Pawar wrote, while taunting Koshyari for the early morning swearing-in ceremony of the three-day government led by former chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar.

“Similarly, the information about your advice to the honourable chief minister of Maharashtra (Uddhav Thackeray) on secularism and later, honourable Union minister for home affairs’ (Amit Shah) response to it, could not be seen in the book… However, I again thank you for sending an account of your historic career,” he added.

Koshyari recently stoked controversy after he wrote to the CM on October 12 about reopening places of worship in the state amid the raging Covid-19 pandemic, and asked if Thackeray, who is also the president of the ruling Shiv Sena, had “suddenly turned secular”. In response, Thackeray reminded the Governor that secularism was one of the tenets of the Constitution that he (Koshyari) swore upon while taking oath as Maharashtra Governor.

When asked, Shah had said that he (Governor) could have chosen better words. “I have gone through the letter. He has made a passing reference. However, I feel he should have been more restrained in his choice of words,” Shah had told a news channel.

Following it, Pawar had remarked that any person, who had self-respect, would have resigned from the position of the Governor after being publicly rebuked by the Union home minister.