Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Supriya Sule on Saturday termed Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari's statement that Mumbai would no longer be called the financial capital of the country without Gujaratis and Rajasthanis as "divisive" and claimed he had "defamed" India.
"Not just Mumbai he has defamed Maharashtra and India. Unity in diversity is what India stands for, we are so proud of all our states and cultures. It is so unfortunate that there is a divisive policy being created. We love all the states because at the core we all are Indians and we are proud of being an India," Ms Sule remarked.
She added, "A (person on a) Constitutional post like Governor is creating a divisive policy and I condemn anyone who is diving my country and my state. He is creating a divide between Maharashtrians and Rajasthanis, Gujaratis which is not true. We love all," she added.
During a speech at an event held to name a chowk after the late Shantideva Champalalji Kothari in Mumbai's Andheri on Friday, Mr Koshyari said, "Sometimes I tell people in Maharashtra that if Gujarati and Rajasthani people are removed from here, then you will be left with no money. You call Mumbai the financial capital, but if the people of both these states are not here, then it won't be called the financial capital."
The statement has triggered a political storm with many claiming that the sentiments of the Marathi people were hurt and their contribution ignored. Many political leaders including Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray also reacted to the statement.
Earlier in the day, former Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray slammed Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari and said that he had insulted Marathis and their pride and that he was trying to divide the society.
Uddhav Thackeray said, "I do not want to insult someone sitting on the post of Governor. I respect the chair but Bhagat Singh Koshyari insulted Marathis and there is anger among the people. Governor is trying to divide the society on the basis of religion, he is crossing every limit".
"The Governor is the messenger of the President, he takes the message of the President throughout the country. But if he commits mistakes, then who will take action against him? He has insulted the Marathis and their pride," Uddhav Thackeray added.
Earlier, few leaders took to Twitter and reacted to Governor Koshyari's statement. Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut claimed that Mr Koshyari's speech was an insult to the people of Maharashtra. He urged Chief Minister Eknath Shinde to condemn the statement.
"The Marathi man gets insulted as soon as a BJP-sponsored Chief Minister is in power. Chief Minister Shinde should, at least, condemn the Governor. This is an insult to Marathi hard-working people," Mr Raut said in a tweet on Saturday.
In another tweet, Mr Raut said, "Chief Minister Shinde, are you listening? That your Maharashtra is different. If you have self-respect, then seek the resignation of the governor."
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
