The Raj Bhavan on Monday termed "baseless" the reports of Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari considering quitting amid the mounting pressure for his removal over controversial remarks made by him against Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.
The chorus for Koshyari's removal has become louder with Shiv Sena (UBT), NCP, and Congress raising the pitch.
"The reports of the governor considering resignation are baseless," Raj Bhavan sources told PTI. Reacting to it, former Maharashtra minister Aaditya Thackeray slammed the State for not speaking against the governor's remarks.
"Constantly insulting the State, its revered icons, social reformers & being blatantly political is a feather in the cap of the current Governor in his establishment, like none in the past of his rank. Disgraceful that he hasn't been removed as yet and govt doesn't speak on it!" Thackeray tweeted.
Earlier this month, Koshyari stoked a controversy by saying Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj was an icon of "olden days", a remark which was dubbed an "insult" to the 17th Century king and the state by the Opposition.
"Earlier, when you would be asked who your icon is 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 Ambedkar and Nitin Gadkari," the governor had said.
