Congress' Ashok Chavan wades into Shivaji row, calls for Koshyari's ouster: '...question of national pride'

Congress leader and former Maharashtra chief minister Ashok Chavan on Tuesday called for the ouster of governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari over his recent remarks on Chhatrapati Shivaji which has unleashed a massive political row in the state and created a rift between the ruling allies of the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena faction and the Bharatiya Janata Party.

Chavan, the latest leader to wade into the row over Koshyari's comments calling Shivaji a "hero of the past era", said a new Maharashtra governor should be appointed and Koshyari should be removed from his office, reported news agency PTI. He made the remarks while speaking to reporters after an agitation staged by Congress workers against the governor in Nanded. Also read | 'Shivaji is our God': Gadkari plays peacemaker in BJP-Shinde Sena row

The row was triggered after the governor called Shivaji a “hero of the past era” and Gadkari a modern-day "hero", sparking criticism not just from the opposition parties but also the ruling Shinde-led Sena faction. "When we were in school teachers would ask us about our favourite leaders... Maharashtra is full of such tall leaders... Shivaji has become hero of the past era," Koshyari had said.

Commenting on the issue, Chavan said, “The statement made by the governor has intensified people's anger. This is not limited to one single political party, it is a question of national pride.” He reasoned it was not the first time the governor had made such a remark and that it was inappropriate for a person holding a constitutional post to be making such comments. He said any disrespect to Maharashtra will not be tolerated.

An MLA of the Shinde Sena echoed a similar view on Monday as he asked the central government to shift Koshyari out of the state.

"Governor should understand ideals of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj never age and he cannot be compared to any other great person... My request to BJP leaders at the centre is that a person who does not know the history of the state... be sent somewhere else," Sanjay Gaikwad had said. He also appeared to warn the ruling BJP to act or deal with “differences... between the two parties”.

Activists of the NCP, Congress, Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray), and other organisations have been staging protests for his ouster.

(With PTI inputs)