Mumbai, Dec 12 The beleaguered Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari has written to Union Home Minister Amit Shah explaining his position vis-a-vis the political storm raging in the state, and asserting that he "can't dream of any slur on icons".
Addressing him as 'Respected Shri Amitbhai ji' in the two-page letter in Hindi dated December 6, the Governor has drawn attention to his recent speech, and contended that certain small portions from that address were separated to criticise him.
Koshyari said he had cited instances of Mahatma Gandhi, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru and Subhash Chandra Bose who were inspiring icons when "we were students", and the modern day students also want to know the current era personalities who could be their 'ideals'.
"In that context I had given the examples of personalities like Dr B. R. Ambedkar to (Union Minister) Nitin Gadkari.....It also implied that students could even take (the late President) Dr APJ Abdul Kalam or (nuclear scientist) Dr Homi Bhabha as their idols". If someone considers Prime Minister Narendra Modi who has raised India's status in the world as an "ideal", it doesn't mean disrespect to the earlier 'Maha Purush'... It's not even a subject of comparison," Koshyari said.
In an indirect swipe at his bete-noire, the Shiv Sena (UBT) President Uddhav Thackeray but without naming him, the 80-year-old Governor said that during the Covid-19 pandemic, "when many 'big-big people' were not stepping out of their homes, at my age, I had gone on a pilgrimage on foot to places like Shivneri, Sinhgad, Raigad, and Pratapgad".
As far as Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj is concerned, he is the pride of not only Maharashtra but the whole country and Koshyari recalled his trip to the birthplace of Shivaji's mother, Mata Jijibai in Sindhkhed, becoming the first Governor in over 30 years to go there, and that too walking.
"Respected Amitbhaiji, you will recall that in 2016, I had expressed a desire not to contest elections in 2019, and keep away from all political offices. At that time the honourable PM-ji and yourself had expressed your affection and faith in a humble worker like me due to which I accepted the post of Maharashtra Governor," the Governor said.
Koshyari added that all the dignitaries are aware that if he commits any error he never hesitates to express regrets or apologise for his remarks.
"I cannot even dream of insulting the great people like Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Maharana Pratap or Shri Guru Gobind Singh who made sacrifices during the Mughal era... I appeal to you that in the current situation, please take the trouble to provide appropriate guidance," the Governor urged.
However, the Governor's letter failed to impress leaders of the Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT), Nationalist Congress Party and others who remain firm that Koshyari should be shunted out of the state.
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