An argument has flared up between Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari over the reopening of places of worship in the state.
On Monday, Maharashtra Governor wrote to Uddhav Thackeray seeking re-opening of places of worship with Covid-19 precautions.
“I wonder if you’re receiving any divine premonition to keep postponing re-opening or you’ve suddenly turned ‘secular’ yourselves, the term you hated?” the letter stated.
“You have been a strong votary of Hindutva. You had publicly espoused your devotion for Lord Rama by visiting Ayodhya after taking charge as Chief Minister. You had visited the Vitthal Rukmini Mandir in Pandharpur and performed the puja on Ashadhi Ekadashi,” the Maharashtra Governor wrote.
He also called it “ironical” that the state government had permitted bars, restaurants and beaches to open while “on the other hand, our Gods and Goddesses have been condemned to stay in the lockdown”.
The Chief Minister hit back saying his Hindutva did not require a certificate from the Governor. “As imposing a lockdown all of a sudden was not right, revoking it completely at once will also not be a good thing. And yes, I am someone who follows Hindutva, my Hindutva doesn’t need verification from you”, Uddhav Thackeray said in a reply to the Governor’s letter.
Meanwhile, BJP held a state-wide agitation and demanded reopening of all the temples in Maharashtra. BJP Maharashtra Chief Chandrakant Patil participated in agitation at the Shirdi Sai temple. Whereas in Mumbai, BJP leader Pravin Darekar carried out agitation outside the Siddhivinayak temple.