Tipu Sultan row: 'BJP has sent its goons', says Maharashtra Minister Aslam Shaikh as Mumbai Police takes Bajrang Dal workers into custody

Mumbai Police on Wednesday took into custody Bajrang Dal workers protesting against the naming of a sports complex after the 18th-century Mysuru ruler Tipu Sultan in Malad. Meanwhile, slamming the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Congress leader and Guardian Minister of Mumbai Aslam Shaikh said the saffron party today "sent its goons to defame the country".

"There was no conflict on the name of Tipu Sultan in last 70 years, today BJP has sent its goons to defame the country & not let the country develop by creating ruckus over naming projects. We don't need to get into controversy over nomenclatures," news agency ANI quoted the Maharashtra minister as saying.

Earlier, BJP MLA Atul Bhatkhalkar had pledged to oppose the naming of the sports complex in Malad after Tipu Sultan.

Speaking to ANI, Bhatkhalkar said, "Shiv Sena's Hindutva is bogus. They talk of Hindutva just for the sake of it. It is well aware of the naming of Malad ground on the name of Tipu Sultan. We will oppose this inauguration by organising dharna with our other BJP leaders. We won't let this happen and we promise if we come in power in BMC we will name this ground on the name of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj."

The BJP MLA further alleged that Aslam Sheikh is the same person who wrote a letter in the support of terrorist Yakub Memon, convicted in the 1993 Bombay blasts.

"Mumbaikars are now well aware of Shiv Sena's new face. They are doing so just to be in power. Aslam Sheikh is the same person who had written a letter for the support of a terrorist Yakub Memon," he said.

Meanwhile, Vishwa Hindu Parishad spokesperson Shriraj Nair said that the naming of the complex after Tipu Sultan is being done with an intention to disrupt peace in the city.

"This definitely is with an intention of ruining the peace of our Mumbai and could have been avoided, Our Maharashtra is a Sant Bhoomi and naming a project in the name of a brutal barbaric Anti-Hindu is condemnable," he tweeted.

(With ANI inputs)

Published on: Wednesday, January 26, 2022, 04:42 PM IST