Tag: Chhatrapati Shivaji

  • Chhatrapati Shivaji row: Move Koshyari out, appoint new guv, says ex-CM Ashok Chavan

    By PTI

    NANDED: Congress leader and former chief minister Ashok Chavan on Tuesday said a new governor should be appointed for Maharashtra and Bhagat Singh Koshyari should be removed from his office for his remark on Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.

    Chavan was speaking to reporters after an agitation staged by Congress workers against the governor in Nanded. During an event in Aurangabad, Koshyari said that Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj was an icon of the “olden days.”

    The comment has triggered a political storm in Maharashtra, with activists of the NCP, Congress, Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray), and other organisations staging protests for his ouster.

    “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,” the Congress leader said.

    He further claimed that this was not the first time that the governor made such a controversial statement, and said it was inappropriate for a person holding a constitutional post to make such remarks.

    Koshyari must be shifted out of Maharashtra and a new governor should be appointed for the state, Chavan said, adding that any disrespect to Maharashtra will not be tolerated.

    Meanwhile, the Congress’ Aurangabad city and district units staged an agitation at Kranti Chowk in the city demanding that the governor be called back by the President of India.

    “Koshyari should be called back by the President (Droupadi Murmu). The governor has no idea whom to compare Chhatrapati Shivaji with,” district Congress president and former MLA Kalyan Kale said.

    NANDED: Congress leader and former chief minister Ashok Chavan on Tuesday said a new governor should be appointed for Maharashtra and Bhagat Singh Koshyari should be removed from his office for his remark on Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.

    Chavan was speaking to reporters after an agitation staged by Congress workers against the governor in Nanded. During an event in Aurangabad, Koshyari said that Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj was an icon of the “olden days.”

    The comment has triggered a political storm in Maharashtra, with activists of the NCP, Congress, Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray), and other organisations staging protests for his ouster.

    “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,” the Congress leader said.

    He further claimed that this was not the first time that the governor made such a controversial statement, and said it was inappropriate for a person holding a constitutional post to make such remarks.

    Koshyari must be shifted out of Maharashtra and a new governor should be appointed for the state, Chavan said, adding that any disrespect to Maharashtra will not be tolerated.

    Meanwhile, the Congress’ Aurangabad city and district units staged an agitation at Kranti Chowk in the city demanding that the governor be called back by the President of India.

    “Koshyari should be called back by the President (Droupadi Murmu). The governor has no idea whom to compare Chhatrapati Shivaji with,” district Congress president and former MLA Kalyan Kale said.

  • Chhatrapati Shivaji remarks row: Protests in Maharashtra for ouster of governor Koshyari

    By PTI

    PUNE/NAGPUR: Amid a row over Maharashtra governor B S Koshyari’s remarks about Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, NCP’s Supriya Sule on Monday wondered how could Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis “defend” the “insult” to the warrior king even as protests were held in Mumbai and other cities for the ouster of the governor.

    The protesters, belonging to Shiv Sena (UBT), Congress, and NCP also slammed BJP national spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi for “insulting” Chhatrapati Shivaji during a television debate.

    Sule said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has no moral right to take the name of the Maratha king.

    As Koshyari’s remarks that Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj was an icon of “olden days” caused a huge furore, Fadnavis on Sunday appeared to defend the beleaguered governor.

    “One thing is clear Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj will remain a hero and idol of Maharashtra and our country till the Sun and the Moon exist.

    Even Koshyari had no doubts about this in his mind.

    Thus, there are various meanings derived from the remarks made by the governor,” he had said.

    BJP’s Rajya Sabha MP Udayanraje Bhosale, a descendant of Chhatrapati Shivaji, on Monday demanded the ouster of the governor and BJP spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi over their remarks on the Maratha warrior king.

    Bhosale said he will decide his future course of action if no decision is taken on his demand.

    Sule wondered how could Fadnavis, a former chief minister, is defending the “insult” of Chhatrapati Shivaji.

    “I was expecting more from Fadnavisji. He was the chief minister for five years. You may have a different ideology, but if Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj is being insulted and if you are defending it, then it is unfortunate. Going forward, BJP has no right to take the name of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj,” the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader said in Pune.

    Referring to a video clip of Trivedi, Sule said it seems like these people are committing the sin of insulting Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj constantly. “It is unfortunate and it should stop.”

    Shiv Sena MLA Sanjay Gaikwad of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde-led faction on Monday demanded Koshyari be shifted out of the state.

    Gaikwad, who represents the Buldhana Assembly constituency, claimed Koshyari had made statements about the founder of the Maratha empire and stoked controversy in the past as well.

    Protests were held in Mumbai, Nagpur, Pune, and Aurangabad demanding the removal of the governor.

    Activists of the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) led by Nagpur district chief Kishor Kumeria staged an agitation at Gandhi Gate in the Mahal area.

    A similar protest was held by NCP workers at Variety Square, while activists of the Congress and its youth wing agitated near Raj Bhavan in Civil Lines.

    In Pune, NCP’s Pune city unit staged a demonstration during which a party worker dressed like Koshyari participated.

    They raised slogans against the governor.

    In Aurangabad, a student organisation staged a protest on the campus of Dr.

    Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University and demanded that the governor is shifted out of Maharashtra.

    A separate demonstration was held by Shiv Sena (UBT) activists in the TV Centre area.

    “This (making intemperate remarks) is ‘vikruti’ (abnormality) which is beyond caste or party. If any part of our body is affected by gangrene that part is removed. Similarly, such people should be thrown out of the party,” Udayanraje Bhosale told reporters at Nalasopara in Palghar district.

    He said if the person holding a respectable position of governor doesn’t maintain dignity and makes such a statement about national icons, he should be removed.

    Bhosale appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to expel Trivedi from the party and shift Koshyari.

    PUNE/NAGPUR: Amid a row over Maharashtra governor B S Koshyari’s remarks about Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, NCP’s Supriya Sule on Monday wondered how could Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis “defend” the “insult” to the warrior king even as protests were held in Mumbai and other cities for the ouster of the governor.

    The protesters, belonging to Shiv Sena (UBT), Congress, and NCP also slammed BJP national spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi for “insulting” Chhatrapati Shivaji during a television debate.

    Sule said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has no moral right to take the name of the Maratha king.

    As Koshyari’s remarks that Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj was an icon of “olden days” caused a huge furore, Fadnavis on Sunday appeared to defend the beleaguered governor.

    “One thing is clear Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj will remain a hero and idol of Maharashtra and our country till the Sun and the Moon exist.

    Even Koshyari had no doubts about this in his mind.

    Thus, there are various meanings derived from the remarks made by the governor,” he had said.

    BJP’s Rajya Sabha MP Udayanraje Bhosale, a descendant of Chhatrapati Shivaji, on Monday demanded the ouster of the governor and BJP spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi over their remarks on the Maratha warrior king.

    Bhosale said he will decide his future course of action if no decision is taken on his demand.

    Sule wondered how could Fadnavis, a former chief minister, is defending the “insult” of Chhatrapati Shivaji.

    “I was expecting more from Fadnavisji. He was the chief minister for five years. You may have a different ideology, but if Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj is being insulted and if you are defending it, then it is unfortunate. Going forward, BJP has no right to take the name of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj,” the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader said in Pune.

    Referring to a video clip of Trivedi, Sule said it seems like these people are committing the sin of insulting Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj constantly. “It is unfortunate and it should stop.”

    Shiv Sena MLA Sanjay Gaikwad of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde-led faction on Monday demanded Koshyari be shifted out of the state.

    Gaikwad, who represents the Buldhana Assembly constituency, claimed Koshyari had made statements about the founder of the Maratha empire and stoked controversy in the past as well.

    Protests were held in Mumbai, Nagpur, Pune, and Aurangabad demanding the removal of the governor.

    Activists of the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) led by Nagpur district chief Kishor Kumeria staged an agitation at Gandhi Gate in the Mahal area.

    A similar protest was held by NCP workers at Variety Square, while activists of the Congress and its youth wing agitated near Raj Bhavan in Civil Lines.

    In Pune, NCP’s Pune city unit staged a demonstration during which a party worker dressed like Koshyari participated.

    They raised slogans against the governor.

    In Aurangabad, a student organisation staged a protest on the campus of Dr.

    Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University and demanded that the governor is shifted out of Maharashtra.

    A separate demonstration was held by Shiv Sena (UBT) activists in the TV Centre area.

    “This (making intemperate remarks) is ‘vikruti’ (abnormality) which is beyond caste or party. If any part of our body is affected by gangrene that part is removed. Similarly, such people should be thrown out of the party,” Udayanraje Bhosale told reporters at Nalasopara in Palghar district.

    He said if the person holding a respectable position of governor doesn’t maintain dignity and makes such a statement about national icons, he should be removed.

    Bhosale appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to expel Trivedi from the party and shift Koshyari.

  • Raigad fort a sacred pilgrimage site for me and all Indians: President Ram Nath Kovind

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: Raigad, the hill fort where Chhatrapati Shivaji was coronated, is a sacred pilgrimage site for all countrymen, President Ram Nath Kovind said on Monday. The President began his four-day tour of Maharashtra by visiting the Raigad fort, the erstwhile capital of the Maratha kingdom, and paid respects to Chhatrapati Shivaji.

    President Kovind reached the hill-fort, located 166 km away from Mumbai, by ropeway in view of opposition by some groups to the landing of his helicopter on the historic fort. He also visited the Jagdishwar temple and the samadhi of Chhatrapati Shivaji. “For me and all Indians, this fort of Raigad is a sacred pilgrimage site,” President Kovind said.

    Kovind became only the second president to visit the Raigad fort. In 1985, the then President Giani Zail Singh had visited Raigad. Shivaji Maharaj was coronated as Chhatrapati on the Raigad fort in 1674.

    President Kovind arrived at Pune Airport and was welcomed by Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari, Home Minister Dilip Walse Patil, Minister of State for Protocol Aditi Tatkare and Mayor Murlidhar Mohol.

    During his visit to Maharashtra from December 6 to 9, the President will visit the Air Force Station in Lohegaon in Pune on Tuesday, witness a flying display and interact with air warriors. He will present the President’s Standard to the 22nd Missile Vessel Squadron in Mumbai on Wednesday, the Rashtrapati Bhavan had said on Sunday.