The political subtext to the Koshyari-Thackeray letters

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has been unable to forgive former National Democratic Alliance (NDA) ally Shiv Sena for breaking away from the alliance and forming a government with the Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) in Maharashtra. Since then Shiv Sena leader and Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray has been at the receiving end of needles and pinpricks from various BJP members.

In a parliamentary form of democracy where much of the legislative power rests with the Chief Minister, the Governor is generally seen as an extension of the state government. As NCP President Sharad Pawar has said on more than one occasion, a Governor wears the ‘mangalsutra’ of the Chief Minister in whose Raj Bhavan he resides and should be bound by every decision taken by the government in residence to whichever political party it may belong.

Over the past few years we have seen many Governors appointed by the President at loggerheads with non-BJP governments. However, Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari has outdone them all by calling into question the very Constitution that has invested him in the office of a Governor.

The Maha Vikas Aghadi government in Maharashtra has been struggling to bring the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic under control. As a part of protocol, and abundant precaution, both the Centre and states have been easing restrictions in a phased manner. While ‘unlocking’ is underway, spiritual establishments and places of worship are yet to open up to large gatherings. This is because of the risk of these places becoming hotspots for community transmissions if opened up to congregations.

With the festival season in India that usually begins mid-monsoon with Janmashtami and ends with New Year upon us, the Maharashtra government has been firm about not allowing places of worship to be opened to the public. Rituals and prayers are allowed, so long as these are conducted by a few priests and worshippers join in online.

These restrictions have meant that a lot of religious institutions have been under financial stress and have been pressing on the government to reopen places of worship. While this is essentially a decision of the government, Koshyari needlessly jumped into the fray dashing off a rude letter to Thackeray calling into question his ‘commitment to Hindutva’ and taunting him for turning secular after becoming Chief Minister. Thackeray, usually quite sanguine about the various provocations through his year in office, shot back a reply reminding the Governor of his impropriety in mocking secularism when he was sworn into a constitutional office on the basis of a Constitution that avowed secularism.

As the controversy broke and Koshyari received flak for overstepping his limits, there were those who asked why he was bothered only by the continued lockdown of temples in Maharashtra and not neighbouring Goa — Koshyari is also Governor of Goa, ruled by the BJP and seemed to have no issue with Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant who continues to be firm on preventing community spreads by keeping all places of worship closed.

Critics have also pointed out to the document of statement of intent that the BJP, like all other parties, including the Shiv Sena, have had to file before the Election Commission of India under the Representation of Peoples Act, wherein to be recognised as a political party and receive an election symbol, every party has to swear by secularism and socialism.

Koshyari’s letter raises questions about the Governor’s belief in secularism, and on whether or not India is a secular nation or a Hindu rashtra. Is being a Hindu and being secular mutually exclusive?

The duel between Koshyari and Thackeray has been on for a while now, and the Governor might be particularly incensed with Thackeray for outsmarting him at every step. Aided by Pawar, Thackeray outwitted the BJP in becoming Chief Minister, he managed to have himself elected to the legislative council against attempts by the Governor to thwart him from gaining that office, and, Thackeray effected quick changes in the bureaucracy once he realised the Governor was attempting to rule Maharashtra by proxy through officers put in place by the previous regime.

Thackeray's response to Koshyari appears to be a definitive statement by the Chief Minister; if until now much of it was shadow boxing, now the rivalry and political differences have come out in the open. Through his reply, Thackeray has reaffirmed that he is the leader of the state and is responsible for the welfare and lives of its residents — and not the Governor. Thackeray has reaffirmed the secular credentials of the State and, at the same time, underlined his party’s Hindutva claims.

The Governor has overstepped the line with his letter — a sentiment shared by former BJP chief and Home Minister Amit Shah, who said that the Governor could have avoided the words he used (in the letter).

Uddhav Thackeray might not be the aggressive politician his father Bal Thackeray was; but, he has showed that he is no pushover either.

Sujata Anandan is a senior journalist and author. Views are personal.