Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is on Bharat Jodo Yatra in Maharashtra. Rahul Gandhi's statement regarding freedom fighter Savarkar is seen to be reverberating in Maharashtra. Now, Maharashtra Governor B S Koshyari on Saturday said Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj was an icon of "olden days" even as he referred to B R Ambedkar and Union minister Nitin Gadkari while talking about "icons" in the state, drawing criticism from NCP.
Governor Koshyari made the remarks after conferring D.Litt degrees on Mr Gadkari, a senior BJP leader, and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) president Sharad Pawar at an event held in Aurangabad.''Earlier, when you would be asked who is your icon - 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 time, there are B R Ambedkar and Nitin Gadkari," the governor said.
Koshyari’s comment evoked sharp reactions from various political parties and leaders. The Sambhaji Brigade leader Santosh Shinde accused the Governor of anti Maharashtra and anti Chhatrapati Shivaji. "Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj remains in the nerves of every person of Maharashtra and the country even after three and a half hundred years. Koshyari on February 8, 2022 stoked a controversy after he claimed that Samarth Ramdas was Chhatrapati Shivaji’s guru. "Many chakravartis (emperors), maharajas took birth on this land. But, who would have asked about Chandragupta had there not been Chanakya? Who would have asked about Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj had there not been Samarth (Ramdas)," he said."I am not questioning the calibre of Chandragupta and Shivaji Maharaj. Like a mother who plays a key role in shaping her child. Similarly, the role of guru (teacher) has a big place in our society," the governor had said.