Four days after he drew criticism over his Gujarati remarks, the Maharashtra Governor BS Koshyari on Monday in a detailed statement said that the people of the state will forgive this humble state servant and re-affirm their big hearts following the teachings of the great sages of Maharashtra.
‘’In a public program held at Andheri on July 29, I may have made a mistake while appreciating the contribution of some community members of the country in the development of Mumbai,’’ said Koshyari. He further added, ‘’Not only in Maharashtra but in the development of the entire country, all of them have made such a remarkable contribution. Especially due to the comprehensiveness of the concerned state and our bright tradition of taking everyone along with us, our country is becoming a leader on the path of progress today.’’
‘’In the last three years, I have received immense love from the people of the state. On our behalf, I tried my best to increase the glory of the Maharashtra and the Marathi language. But, I do not even imagine that if I made any mistake unintentionally in my speech that day, that mistake would be considered as an insult to this great state of Maharashtra,’’ said Koshyari.
‘’Following the teachings of the great sages of Maharashtra, we believe that the people of the state will forgive this humble state servant and re-affirm their big hearts,’’ he concludes.
Koshyari stoked the controversy when he said Mumbai would have no money if Gujaratis and Rajasthanis were to leave. ‘’I tell people here that if Gujaratis and Rajasthanis are removed from Maharashtra, especially from Mumbai and Thane, you will be left with no money and Mumbai will not be a financial capital,” he said.
Koshyari came under attack from opposition parties including Shiv Sena, NCP, Congress and MNS while Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis distanced themselves from the Governor’s remarks.
The governor on Saturday in a series of tweets clarified that he did not mean to insult Marathis but he was rather talking about the contribution of the Gujarati and Rajasthani people in the development of the state.
The Shiv Sena President Uddhav Thackeray, who is busy weathering the internal crisis after the rebellion staged by Eknath Shinde and 39 legislators, lashed out at Koshyari saying the time has come to send him back and put in jail. The Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray also lashed out at Koshyari, saying, “With the elections around the corner, one should not spread any rumours. Do not assume that we are innocent to believe this. Do not fool the ‘Marathi Manoos’.”
