Goa Congress criticises Maha governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari's remark on Shivaji Maharaj

Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari (Image: Twitter/@BSKoshyari)

The Goa Congress has criticised Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari over his remark that Maratha warrior king Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj was an icon of "olden days".

Chhatrapati Shivaji was the greatest warrior, Goa Congress spokesperson Amarnath Panjikar said.

After conferring the D. Litt degrees on Union minister Nitin Gadkari and NCP president Sharad Pawar at an event in Aurangabad on Saturday, Koshyari said Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj was an icon of "olden days" even as he referred to B R Ambedkar and Gadkari while talking about "icons" in Maharashtra.

Reacting to it, Panjikar tweeted, We @INCGoa strongly condemn the statements of Maharashtra Governor #BhagatSinghKoshyari and @BJP4India Spokesperson @SudhanshuTiwari for insulting Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. Chhatrapati was a Greatest Brave Warrior, Stupidity to compare him with coward Savarkar and @nitin_gadkari." The NCP on Saturday accused Koshyari of demeaning Maharashtra.

Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) leader Sanjay Raut had questioned how Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj can be an old role model when the state and the country follow his ideals even today and will continue to do so.

Raut demanded the BJP, which has been protesting against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's remarks on freedom fighter V D Savarkar, to spell out its stand on Koshyari's "insult" of Shivaji Maharaj and Maharashtra.