Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], October 13 (ANI): Maharashtra BJP president Chandrakant Patil took a jibe at Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray asking whether Congress–NCP will withdraw support if temples are reopened.
“Is Governor not a citizen, not a Hindu? He has the right to speak on all issues. Does he not have the right to question? What issue do they have with reopening of temples? Will Congress–NCP withdraw their support if you reopen temples?” Patil asked.
State Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari, through a letter written on Monday, had urged the Maharashtra CM to announce reopening of places of worship in the state.
He had cited that religious places have reopened in Delhi, and across the nation, without any surge being witnessed in the COVID-19 cases, and had further questioned the motive behind delaying the same in Maharashtra.
“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?” Koshyari’s letter read.
To which Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray said his Hindutva does not need verification from Koshyari.
“As imposing lockdown all of a sudden was not right, revoking it completely at once will also be not a good thing. And yes, I am someone who follows Hindutva; my Hindutva doesn’t need verification from you,” the Chief Minister said.
It is important to note that the exchange between the Governor and Chief Minister is happening at a time when the Bharatiya Janata Party is organising demonstrations across the state, demanding re-opening of temples for devotees.
Earlier today, BJP leader Prasad Lad, along with other party workers, was detained by police during a protest held outside Siddhivinayak Temple in Mumbai. (ANI)
