Mira Bhayandar: As the Tipu Sultan controversy intensifies, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is set to bring a proposal to rename a chowk in Mira Road named after the 18th-century Mysuru ruler in the upcoming first general meeting of the Mira Bhayandar Municipal Corporation (MBMC).
According to a report by Loksatta.com, the first meeting is expected to be held on February 18. The Tipu Sultan Chowk is located on the road leading to Naya Nagar in Mira Road and was built just a few years ago by the municipal corporation. During the Assembly election, MLA Naresh Mehta had also said he would change the name of Tipu Sultan Chowk if he came to power.
Meanwhile, in the recently concluded MBMC elections, the BJP won 78 seats out of 95, with Shiv Sena winning 3 and Congress winning 13, while one seat was secured by an independent candidate.
What is the Tipu Sultan controversy all about?
The Tipu Sultan row started after a portrait of the Mysuru ruler was seen in the office of Malegaon Municipal Corporation Deputy Mayor Shan-e-Hind Nihal Ahmed, which was opposed by Shiv Sena corporators and Hindu outfits. However, the issue then escalated across the state when the Congress President compared Tipu Sultan with Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. Harshvardhan Sapkal said that Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj was known for his bravery and vision of Swarajya, and claimed that Tipu Sultan later followed a similar path by fighting against the British.
“Tipu Sultan became a warrior who showed bravery; he became a son of the soil and never embraced any poisonous, destructive ideas. As a sign of bravery, Tipu Sultan should be seen as equal to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj,” Sapkal said, as quoted by Maharashtra Times.
Protests and clashes against Sapkal arose in Mumbai, Nashik, Nagpur, and Pune today, where BJP workers were seen protesting over the statement made by him.
Earlier on Saturday, CM Devendra Fadnavis also strongly condemned Sapkal's remark and said he should be ashamed. Fadnavis said that Shivaji Maharaj established Swarajya and freed people from Mughal rule, while, on the other hand, Tipu Sultan killed thousands of Hindus. The CM said, "He should be ashamed. We will not tolerate this comparison at all..."
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