Skip to main content

Maharashtra governor, an RSS man, 'ignores': Festival season may aggrave Covid-19

BJP protest demanding opening up temples in Maharashtra
By Vidya Bhushan Rawat*
Maharashtra governor Bhagat Singh Koshiyari is upset with chief minister Udhav Thackeray and his government for not allowing the ‘religious places’ to open up during the festival season. Suggesting that our Gods and Goddesses have been “condemned” to stay under lockdown, he has told Thackeray, "You have been a strong votary of Hindutva. You had publicly espoused your devotion for Lord Rama by visiting Ayodhya after taking charge as chief minister.”
The governor continued in his letter, “You had visited the Vitthal Rukmini Mandir in Pandharpur and performed the puja on Ashadhi Ekadashi. I wonder if you are receiving any divine premonition to keep postponing the reopening of places of worship time and again or have you turned 'secular' yourselves, a term you hated?"
It looks like Koshiyari is highly disturbed to see temples locked up. The tone of his letter is highly derogatory and unbecoming of governor of a state. The letter seems to be drafted by the IT cell of BJP. Of course, Koshiyari, an old hand of RSS, can’t be expected to dispose of his ‘ideology’ simply because he has become ‘governor’. The fact is his party has not shed its ‘ideology’ and has already made ‘secularism’ and ‘socialism’ look like criminal and unconstitutional words. Koshiyari is just following the perceptions built by Sangh ideologues for decades.
Sharad Pawar has done well to write a letter of protest to the Prime Minister against the outburst of Koshiyari, who is duty bound to protect the Constitution and speak the language of the Constitution, in whose Preamble the word secular figures, even if all the practical purposes the Government of India might have done away with it.
As for the issue of the Maharashtra government dealing with Covid-19, it has been a state with the highest number of infected people and pandemic-related deaths in India. Yet, one must appreciate the government of the state for persistently focusing on the issue and not letting things go off the guard.
Leading epidemiologists and other experts are already suggesting that there may be resurgence in Covid-19 cases, and that next few months would be crucial. It is also a fact that we will face a weather change in the coming days resulting in seasonal ailments like viral fever, cough and cold related issues which can aggravate the situation. The Government of India, too, is campaigning that, despite unlocking, we must maintain physical distancing, use mask appropriately and wash of our hands every now and then.
Koshiyari and other BJP members should not ignore the fact that, in March, the Hindutva groups and others like them blamed Tablighi Jamat for ‘spreading’ the virus after they had ‘wrongly’ congregated for their programme in Nizamuddin in Delhi.
Sharar Pawar with Uddhav Thackeray
However, soon reports began pouring in about temple priests and other religious workers catching up the coronavirus disease. Stories from Tirupathi and other important places are already available in the media. Even in Uttar Pradesh, there are restriction for public programmes as also temples. So, what is wrong if the Maharashtra government has not allowed the opening of temples?
We all know that Gods and Goddesses have been the biggest helpless creatures during the pandemic, and how their ‘power’ faded. The political leadership world over knows that it is ultimately man and science which have to do the needful to protect humanity. But regressive forces will always be there to ensure that people continue to remain religious, so that their ‘politics’ can flourish.
Not Hindutva or secularism but of governance which should be primary in our hearts. For the next three months, there will a number of festivals, stating with Navaratri, followed by Dusshera, Diwali and Chhath, and ending with Christman. During this period, it would be very difficult for authorities to keep the Covid protocol intact if people throng at religious places.
When doctors suggest there would be resurgence of Covid cases in the coming month, there aren’t just referring to weather but also the festival season, which is now next door. We have to decide what we wish to do, and whether it is good to allow people to crowd at public places and “help” aggravate the situation, or focus on protective measures. Political parties and social and cultural organisations would do well not to compete with each other by playing the victim card in this regard.
Politicization of religious festivals in Maharasthra would be risky. Comparing the need to open up temples with that of bars and restaurant, too, is misguided, as these are not public places. Along with industry, they can open up following a specifically designed protocol in order to ensure that we can maintain balance between people’s needs and running the economy.
Whether Shiv Sena is a Hindutva party or not, the stand taken by Uddhav Thackeray and his government on various issues, including that of protecting the Aarey Forest area in Mumbai, should be appreciated and acknowledged. The governor’s letter to the chief minister is not in public interest but only seeks to promote his party’s propaganda in order to create obstacles for the state government, which is unfortunate.
---
*Human rights defender

Comments

TRENDING

Wave of disappearances sparks human rights fears for activists in Delhi

By Harsh Thakor*  A philosophy student from Zakir Hussain College, Delhi University, and an activist associated with Nazariya magazine, Rudra, has been reported missing since the morning of July 19, 2025. This disappearance adds to a growing concern among human rights advocates regarding the escalating number of detentions and disappearances of activists in Delhi.

How community leaders overcome obstacles to protect forests and pastures in remote villages

By Bharat Dogra  Dheera Ram Kapaya grew up in such poverty that, unable to attend school himself, he would carry another boy’s heavy school bag for five kilometers just to get a scoop of daliya (porridge). When he was finally able to attend school, he had to leave after class five to join other adolescent workers. However, as soon as opportunities arose, he involved himself in community efforts—promoting forest protection, adult literacy, and other constructive initiatives. His hidden talent for writing emerged during this time, and he became known for the songs and street play scripts he created to promote forest conservation, discourage child marriages, and support other social reforms.

‘Act of war on agriculture’: Aruna Rodrigues slams GM crop expansion and regulatory apathy

By Rosamma Thomas*  Expressing appreciation to the Union Agriculture Minister for inviting suggestions from farmers and concerned citizens on the sharp decline in cotton crop productivity, Aruna Rodrigues—lead petitioner in the Supreme Court case ongoing since 2005 that seeks a moratorium on genetically modified (GM) crops—wrote to Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on July 14, 2025, stating that conflicts of interest have infiltrated India’s regulatory system like a spreading cancer, including within the Indian Council for Agricultural Research (ICAR).

The GMO illusion: Three decades of hype, harm, and false hope

By Sridhar Radhakrishnan  Three decades of hype, billions of dollars spent, and still no miracle crop. It's time to abandon the GMO biotech fairy tale and return to the soil, the seed, and the farmer. “Trust us,” they said. “GMOs will feed the world.” Picture a world where there is plenty of food, no hunger, fields grow without chemical pesticides, children are saved from malnutrition, and people live healthily.

Sandra Gonzalez Sanabria: An inspiring life from Colombia’s Amazonian valley

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat*  In the village of Héctor Ramírez, known as Agua Bonita, in La Montañita, Caquetá, Colombia, a vision of peace and renewal is unfolding. In the pre-2016 period, this would have been nearly impossible for outsiders to visit, as it was the epicenter of violent resistance against state oppression. However, after the Peace Accord was signed between the Colombian government and former revolutionaries—marking the end of a 70-year insurgency that claimed over 400,000 lives until 2025, including civilians, rebel fighters, and security personnel—things began to change. Visiting Agua Bonita during the Global Land Forum in Bogotá revealed a village of hope and resilience. Former FARC revolutionaries have settled here and transformed the village into a center of peace and aspiration.

Indigenous Karen activist calls for global solidarity amid continued struggles in Burma

By A Representative   At the International Festival for People’s Rights and Struggles (IFPRS), Naw Paw Pree, an Indigenous Karen activist from the Karen Human Rights Group (KHRG), shared her experiences of oppression, resilience, and hope. Organized with the support of the International Indigenous Peoples Movement for Self-Determination and Liberation (IPMSDL), the event brought together Indigenous and marginalized communities from across the globe, offering a rare safe space for shared learning, solidarity, and expression.

Activists allege abduction and torture by Delhi Police Special Cell in missing person probe

By A Representative   A press statement released today by the Campaign Against State Repression (CASR) alleges that several student and social activists have been abducted, illegally detained, and subjected to torture by the Delhi Police Special Cell. The CASR claims these actions are linked to an investigation into the disappearance of Vallika Varshri, an editorial team member of 'Nazariya' magazine.

India’s zero-emission, eco-friendly energy strategies have a long way to go, despite impressive progress

By N.S. Venkataraman*   The recent report released by OPEC’s World Oil Outlook 2025 has predicted that by the year 2050, crude oil would replace coal as India’s key energy source. Clearly, OPEC expects that India’s dependence on fossil fuels for energy will continue to remain high in one form or another.

Gender violence defies stringent laws: The need for robust social capital

By Dr. Manoj Kumar Mishra*  The tragic death of Miss Soumyashree Bisi, a 20-year-old student from Fakir Mohan College, Balasore, who reportedly self-immolated due to harassment, shocked the conscience of Odisha. Even before the public could process this horrifying event, another harrowing case emerged—a 15-year-old girl from Balanga, Puri, was allegedly set ablaze by miscreants. These incidents are not isolated; they highlight a disturbing pattern of rising gender-based violence across the state and the country.