Margaret Alva says Maha Guv Koshyari's remark "not unexpected", also takes dig at Jagdeep Dhankhar

New Delhi [India], July 31 (ANI): Opposition's Vice Presidential candidate Margaret Alva on Saturday, while hitting out at Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari for his controversial remarks about Mumbai owing its financial capital status due to the hard work of Gujaratis and Rajasthanis, also took a dig at her electoral opponent and NDA's candidate Jagdeep Dhankhar.
While terming Koshyari's remark "unfortunate", Alva said that it was "not unexpected".
Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari triggered a row, claiming that if Gujaratis and Rajasthanis were removed from Maharashtra then Mumbai will no longer remain the financial capital of the country.
Slamming Koshyari and Dhankhar, Alva tweeted, "The comments by the Governor of Maharashtra are unfortunate, but not unexpected. The message he's received from the ex-Governor of W Bengal's candidature for VP is: controversy, foolish comments and operating like an extra-constitutional authority, is behaviour that gets rewarded."
Meanwhile, Eknath Shinde who was sworn in as Maharashtra Chief Minister last month by Governor Koshyari, distanced himself from the row and said that he does not agree with the remarks.
During a speech at an event held to name a chowk after the late Shantidevi Champalalji Kothari in Mumbai's in Andheri on Friday, Koshyari said, "Sometimes I tell people in Maharashtra that if Gujarati and Rajasthani people are removed from here, then you will be left with no money. You call Mumbai the financial capital, but if these people of both these states are not here, then it won't be called financial capital."
Congress Chief Nana Patole has condemned Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari's statement, demanding an apology from him.
"We condemn the remarks made by Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari. He should apologise to the public. He should be removed from his position with immediate effect," said Nana Patole on Saturday.
Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut claimed that Koshyari's speech was an insult to the people of Maharashtra. He urged Chief Minister Eknath Shinde to condemn the statement. "The Marathi man gets insulted as soon as a BJP-sponsored Chief Minister is in power. CM Shinde should, at least, condemn the Governor. This is an insult to Marathi hard-working people," Raut said in a tweet on Saturday.
Former Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray slammed Koshyari and said that he has insulted the Marathis and their pride and that he is trying to divide the society on the basis of community.
Uddhav Thackeray said, "I do not want to insult someone sitting on the post of Governor. I respect the chair but Bhagat Singh Koshyari insulted Marathis and there is anger among the people. Governor is trying to divide the society on the basis of religion, he is crossing every limit". (ANI)