Team Uddhav's "No Guts" Jab At Eknath Shinde Over Governor's Shivaji Remark

Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari's remarks about Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj - an iconic figure for the people of state - have triggered a political storm.

The Governor, at an event in Aurangabad on Saturday, had called the legendary warrior king an "icon of olden times". Referring to B R Ambedkar and Union minister Nitin Gadkari, Governor Koshyari said, youngsters don't have to look beyond them when asked about their icon.

His statement evoked strong reactions from the Congress, Sharad Pawar-led NCP and Uddhav Thackeray's faction of Shiv Sena, demanding his recall for insulting the state icon and drawing parallel between him and others.

The Shiv Sena's mouthpiece 'Saamana' demanded an apology from the Governor for "insulting" the symbol of Marathi pride.

The editorial in the mouthpiece asked the BJP, which has been protesting against Congress MP Rahul Gandhi's remarks on freedom fighter Veer Savarkar, to spell out its stand on the Governor's remarks.

"Just like Rahul Gandhi, Governor's statement also can not be called his 'personal opinion'. People of Maharashtra also have a 'personal opinion' that whoever insults Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj will have to apologize in front of the state," the editorial said.

The editorial attacked Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and his deputy Devendra Fadnavis for their "silence" over his remarks that hurt the sentiments of Maharashtrians.

"The Shinde and Fadnavis government doesn't have the guts to oppose the Governor," it said.

The Shiv Sena's mouthpiece also condemned BJP spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi's statement claiming that Shivaji had apologised to Mughal emperor Aurangzeb five times.

The editorial asked the people of Maharashtra to "rise and protest the Governor's statement."

''Earlier, when you would be asked who is your icon - Jawaharlal Nehru, Subhas Chandra Bose and Mahatma Gandhi used to be the answers. In Maharashtra, you need not look elsewhere (as) there are so many icons here. While Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj is of olden time, there are B R Ambedkar and Nitin Gadkari," the Governor had said during his speech at Dr Ambedkar Marathwada University in Aurangabad.

Facing the ire of political parties and various organisations in the state, Mr Fadnavis on Sunday said that Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari and Sudhanshu Trivedi's remarks were "misconstrued" by the opposition.

"One thing is clear that Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj will remain a hero and idol of Maharashtra and our country till the Sun and the Moon exist," Mr Fadnavis said.