Is Raj Bhavan possessed by ghosts, asks Sanjay Raut

Shiv Sena’s chief spokesperson Sanjay Raut; (right) Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari

The criticism of Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari over the delay in appointing the 12 nominees to the legislative council reached yet another level - this time supernatural - with Shiv Sena's chief spokesperson Sanjay Raut wondering whether a file containing the names of the persons recommended by the state Cabinet was stolen by the ghosts.

"Was it a cyclone or the ghosts? Who stole the file?" he asked, referring to the Raj Bhavan's response to an RTI query that the list of the nominees was not available. The Bombay High Court has asked the Raj Bhavan to explain the delay. The recommendations were made in November 2020.

On Monday, Raut reiterated what he wrote in the Sena mouthpiece Saamna while speaking to the reporters. The editorial said the governor should consider the court seriously and avoid testing Maharashtra's patience. "We're not cowards," the article said, accusing the governor of doing politics on behalf of some top people. It said the vacancies were kept pending to reward the people whose help would be sought to uproot the MVA government.

Also Read: Will legal scrutiny resolve Raj Bhavan-MVA standoff?

Sarcastic Raut said if the PM could execute a surgical strike in 24 hours, why was Koshyari taking so much time to research the file sent to his office. "Is anybody doing a Ph.D. [doctorate] on it?" he asked, adding, "So many people have been visiting the Raj Bhavan." He said the governor's house will have to respond to the high court in his ‘unconstitutional act' of withholding appointments.

Raut lambasted PM Narendra Modi for ignoring Maharashtra in granting aid for post-Tauktae relief measures. "Maharashtra is Gujarat's twin brother, and yet it gets discriminatory treatment at the hands of the PM. Even Goa didn't get anything. They should understand Maharashtra's agony while announcing '1000-cr assistance for Gujarat," he said. The Rajya Sabha MP said CM Uddav Thackeray would take up the issue with PM Modi. "People from Delhi have always looted Maharashtra. However, in the time of pandemic we don't want any friction with the Centre," he added.

Nov 2020
When state Cabinet made the recommendations