'Don't need your certificate', Uddhav replies to Guv's 'secular' jibe

Mumbai: A war of words broke out between Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari and Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray after the former shot a letter on Monday demanding the immediate reopening of places of worship and asking Thackeray if he has turned "secular". The Shiv Sena chief replied stating he does not need a certificate for his Hindutva from Koshyari or any lessons on the same.

Referring to Thackeray's address on Sunday on social media, Koshyari wrote to the Chief Minister terming the extension of the ban on religious places as "most unfortunate".

"You have been a strong votary of Hindutva. You had publicly espoused your devotion for Lord Rama by visiting Ayodhya after taking charge as the Chief Minister. You had visited the Vitthal Rukmini Mandir in Pandharpur and performed the puja on Ashadhi Ekadashi," wrote Koshyari.

"I wonder if you are receiving any divine premonition to keep postponing the reopening of the places of worships time and again or have you suddenly turned 'secular' yourselves, the term you hated?" asked the Governor and further mentioned that places of worships were reopened in Delhi on June 8 and across the nation towards the end of June. There have not been reports of a surge in COVID-19 cases from any of these places, he added.

"I request you to announce forthwith the reopening of all the places of worship with all necessary COVID-19 precautions," he maintained.

Thackeray hit back on Tuesday stating: "What you mentioned about my Hindutva in the letter is absolutely correct. But, my Hindutva does not need your certificate. Also, I don't need to learn it from anyone. It does not fit into my Hindutva to welcome home, with a smile, those who call my state or the capital of my state Pakistan-occupied Kashmir."

Taking objection to the Governor's question on whether Thackeray had turned secular, he asked: "Why should you ask such a question? Are you saying that only opening places of worship is Hindutva and not opening them is secular? Secularism is the core part of the Constitution based on which you took oath as Governor. Don't you agree with it?"

Thackeray also referred to the Governor mocking him with the taunt about divine premonitions. "You may have experienced such things but I am not so great," Thackeray replied.

Meanwhile, NCP chief Sharad Pawar on Tuesday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressing shock at the "intemperate language" of the Maharashtra Governor's letter to the Chief Minister on reopening places of worship in the state.