Mumbai, Jan 26 (PTI) Congress leaders Harshwardhan Sapkal and Varsha Gaikwad on Monday slammed the decision to confer the Padma Bhushan on former Maharashtra governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari, whose tenure
in the state between September 2019 and February 2023 was marked by run-ins with the Maha Vikas Aghadi government of Uddhav Thackeray.
Maharashtra Congress chief Sapkal said Koshyari had insulted a constitutional office and hurt the sentiments of the people of the state.
Speaking after attending the Republic Day function at the Congress office here, Sapkal said he himself had declined an award from a social organisation in Pune as it was to be presented by Koshyari.
Mumbai Congress chief and Lok Sabha MP Varsha Gaikwad said BJP has a long history of insulting Maharashtra's great leaders and constitutional icons and alleged Koshyari had earlier made remarks disrespectful to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Mahatma Jyotiba Phule and Savitribai Phule.
"Honouring such a person with a Padma award is an insult to Maharashtra," she said.
Nationalist Congress Party (SP) spokesperson Clyde Crasto said Koshyari had repeatedly made controversial remarks about Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and other revered icons, which had hurt the sentiments of Maharashtrians.
Honouring Koshyari with a Padma award showed the BJP's "arrogance of power" and its disregard for Maharashtra's history and cultural pride, he added.
"The people of Maharashtra will never forget the insults to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. Awarding Koshyari instead of taking action against him is shameful," Crasto said.
"The Padma award given to Koshyari is an insult to the people of Maharashtra," the NCP (SP) leader said.
The former governor had faced flak for once terming Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj as "an icon of the olden times".
Koshyari's tenure as governor saw several controversies.
Uddhav Thackeray, when he was the chief minister between 2019 and June 2022, had accused him of being overactive and pointed out that he had not filled 12 vacant seats in the state Legislative Council despite the state government’s recommendation. PTI MR BNM
