Maha Guv Koshyari's comments on Mumbai cause massive row

mumbai: Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari's comments that "Mumbai will have no money" if the Gujaratis and Rajasthanis were to leave triggered a massive controversy on Saturday, forcing Chief Minister Eknath Shinde to state that he disagreed with the governor. As Opposition leaders slammed Koshyari and sought apology from him, the governor said his comments were misconstrued. Koshyari made the controversial comments during a function to name a chowk (intersection) in suburban Andheri on Friday evening.

"I tell people here that if Gujaratis and Rajasthanis are removed from Maharashtra, especially from Mumbai and Thane, you will be left with no money and Mumbai will not be a financial capital,'' he said.

As the comments drew widespread condemnation, Koshyari said on Saturday that the statement was misconstrued, and asked political parties not to create a controversy. There was no question of belittling the contribution of Marathi-speaking people and "lauding one community does not mean insulting another,'' he said. Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray demanded an apology from Koshyari.

The former chief minister, whose relations with Koshyari were often strained while in office, accused the governor of "dividing" Hindus living in Mumbai and Thane.

Thackeray said, "The hatred that the governor harbours in his mind against the Marathi people has inadvertently come out. "Time has come to decide whether to send Koshyari back home or to jail...In the last three years, he has insulted Marathi-speaking people despite staying in Maharashtra. Now with these comments, he has brought disrespect to the governor's post," he said.

Shinde, leader of the rebel Shiv Sena faction, said he disagreed with Koshyari's remarks. Talking to reporters at Malegaon, Shinde said, "We don't agree with Koshyari's remarks. It's his personal view. He has now issued a clarification. He occupies a constitutional post and should take care that his actions do not insult others.