Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray has told Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari that he does not need a certificate of Hindutva from him. Thackeray’s comments came after Koshyari had written a letter to him.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and Bhagat Singh Koshyari. (Photo: PTI/Collage)
Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Tuesday responded strongly to a letter sent to him by state Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari. The governor requested Uddhav Thackeray to reopen religious places of worship in the state in his letter.
Koshyari wrote: “You have been a strong votary of Hindutva. You had publicly expressed your devotion for Lord Ram. You had visited, Vitthal Rukmani Temple on Ashadi Ekadashi.”
“I wonder if you are receiving any divine premonition to keep postponing the reopening of the places of worships time and again or have you suddenly turned secular?” Koshyari asked in the letter.
In response, Uddhav Thackeray said, “I don’t need a certificate from you about my Hindutva.”
Further taking a dig at the state administration, Bhagat Singh Koshyari said it is “ironical” that the Maharashtra government has reopened bars and restaurants but has not taken a call on reopening religious places of worship.
“It is ironical that on one hand, the government has opened up bars and restaurants but on the other hand, gods and goddesses have been condemned to stay in the lockdown,” Koshyari wrote.
Giving an example of Delhi, he said the religious places have been reopened in the national capital in June, but added that no surge in Covid-19 cases have been reported from any of these places of worship.
“I request you to announce forthwith the reopening of all the places of worship with necessary Covid-19 precautions,” Koshyari added.
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