‘Could have exercised restraint in his words’: Amit Shah on Maharashtra guv Koshyari’s letter to Thackeray

Union home minister Amit Shah has said Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari should have his chosen his words carefully in the letter he wrote to the western state’s chief minister Uddhav Thackeray over the issue of reopening of religious places amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Koshyari had written to Thackeray last week raising the issue of reopening of places of worship in Maharashtra. “I wonder if you are receiving any divine premonition to keep postponing the reopening of the places of worship time and again or have you suddenly turned ‘secular ‘ yourselves, the term you hated?” Koshyari asked Thackeray in his letter.

tell the truth GIF — **Meanwhile, in a parallel universe, Journalist asking about the original source of words**

In his response, Thackeray said he does not need a “certificate” on Hindutva from the Governor. “Do you mean that opening up religious places is Hindutva, and not opening them means being secular? Secularism is a crucial base of the oath you took as Governor. Do you not believe it?” the chief minister said.

Thackeray also raised the issue of Kangana Ranaut comparing the state to Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) but he did not name the Bollywood actor. “Sir, you mention Hindutva in your letter, but I do not need any certificate or any teaching on Hindutva from you. My Hindutva does not permit me to welcome home a person who called my Maharashtra or Mumbai Pakistan occupied Kashmir,” he said.