Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari, who has been signed by several controversies, has written to the Prime Minister asking to be "discharged of all political responsibilities". He wants to focus on reading and writing, says his office.
Here is a look at the top 5 controversies involving him:
- In November 2022, Koshyari sparked a major political controversy after calling Maratha emperor Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj an icon of the "olden days." "Earlier, when you would be asked who your icon is, Jawaharlal Nehru, Subhas Chandra Bose, and Mahatma Gandhi used to be the answers. In Maharashtra, you need not look elsewhere, (as) there are so many icons here. While Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj is of olden times, there are Ambedkar and Nitin Gadkari," the governor had said.
- Koshyari, in July 2022, said if Gujaratis and Rajasthanis are removed from Maharashtra, especially from Mumbai and Thane, there will be no money and Mumbai will not be a financial capital. However, he had said his statement was misconstrued and added there was no question of belittling the contribution of Marathi-speaking people and "lauding one community does not mean insulting another,"
- In March 2022, Mr. Koshyari mocked 19th-century social reformers Savitribai and Jyotirao Phule for "getting married at a young age." "Savitribai was married off at the age of 10, and her husband was 13 years old at that time. Now, think about it; what must girls and boys be thinking after getting married" he said.
- Uddhav Thackeray, the former Maharashtra Chief Minister, accused the Governor of being overactive, while sometimes he does not move at all. He pointed out that Mr. Koshyari has not filled 12 vacant seats in the state Legislative Council from his quota.
- In a remarkable turn of events after the Assembly elections in Maharashtra, Koshyari administered the oath of office to Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar as Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister in the early hours of November 23, 2019. However, three days before the floor test, Fadnavis resigned as chief minister after Ajit Pawar quit his government.