Ahead of the upcoming elections to the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), the Maha Vikas Aghadi partners and Bharatiya Janata Party were pitted against each other on Tipu Sultan, known as the Tiger of Mysore and an implacable enemy of the British East India Company. The trigger was the inauguration of ‘’Tipu Sultan Maidan’’ on the Republic Day by Congress Minister Aslam Shaikh. The BJP and Bajrang Dal condemned the move while the ruling MVA partners countered the attack asking BJP whether it will ask the President of India to resign who in his speech in the Karnataka assembly in 2017 had praised Tipu Sultan.
"The BJP thinks that only they have knowledge of history's knowledge. Everyone's sitting down to write a new history; these historians are here to change history. We know about Tipu Sultan, we don't need to learn from the BJP," said Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut. He added whether BJP will ask President Ramnath Kovind to resign for having praised Tipu Sultan as a ‘historical warrior’ and ‘freedom fighter.’
If they say it has been named after Tipu and that they will do this and that, then they should let it be; saying all this doesn't suit them. The State Government is capable of making decisions. Don't write a new history. You can continue trying to change history in Delhi but you won't succeed,’’ said Raut.
Former Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis slammed the state government and Congress in particular. "He (Tipu Sultan) harassed Hindus. Proposal of naming a municipal garden after Tipu Sultan is not appropriate. Why are they honoring a person who harassed Hindus? This decision should be canceled. This government is not stable," he said.
However, NCP Minister Nawab Malik claimed Tipu Sultan never surrendered before the British and he was martyred in the battle against the invaders. ‘’The BJP is opposing such warriors. BJP leader in Karnataka B S Yediyurappa used to celebrate Tipu Sultan's death anniversary, but after becoming chief minister he canceled it. "Even in Mumbai, the BJP corporators had given letters to name the garden after Tipu Sultan. It is nothing but the BJP's tactic of diverting the attention of people," he said.
On the other hand, the state Congress general secretary Sachin Sawant it is BJP's deformed politics to bring religion to portray historical figures and to spew venom of hatred and polarization. ‘’The BJP's style of politics of painting everything black and white is a deformed one and such an approach should be rejected completely. Sri Mookambika temple in Kollur performs a special 'aarti' in the name of Tipu Sultan every day at 7.30 in the evening. Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, whose hologram was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, had called Tipu a martyr and his Mysore tiger was made part of his Azad Hind Sena's flag as well as figured on its uniform," Sawant said.
Mumbai Mayor Kishori Pedenkar said neither BMC nor the state government have kept the ground name over king Tipu Sultan. She alleged that "If BJP does not agree with the name Tipu Sultan then how did their own corporators in the past backed the proposals to keep names of two roads of Mumbai over the King Tipu Sultan. In the year 2015, then minority Minister Eknath Khadse, while giving written reply to the query raised by MLA Aslam Shaikh, termed the said ground as Tipu Sultan ground. Then why did no one oppose the name ? alleged Pedeneker.
The Mayor warned BJP not to disrupt the peace of Mumbai. otherwise Shivsena will strongly resist. She also asked will BJP to support to keep ground's name over the "Jhansi Ki Rani Laxmi Bai"
BJP MLA from Mumbai Amit Satam has clarified that when he was chairman of BMC’s ‘Works Committee’ he had never moved any proposal to name any road of Mumbai city after Tipu Sultan. Satam challenged Mumbai Guardian minister Aslam Shaikh and Mumbai Mayor to show proof which can support their allegations against him.
“If they don’t have any proof against me regarding their allegations that I was involved in moving any proposal to name a road against Tipu sultan they should be better prepared to face defamation suit.” Said Satam.
Meanwhile, the Malwani Police have booked at least 60 people and have detained a few Bajrang Dal workers in two First Information Reports (FIR)s for allegedly protesting the naming of a sports complex in Malad after the Mysore leader Tipu Sultan. Police said that the protestors were booked for unlawful assembly, violating COVID rules and vandalism. While some of the protestors, including political leaders were detained on Wednesday, they were later released.
According to police sources, the two FIRs were registered for unlawful assembly, rioting, wrongful restraint and violating COVID rules. Police said that two FIRs were taken because the protest took place at two different locations, wherein the protesters had punctured tyres of two BEST buses, causing road blockages and inconvenience to other citizens. While notices were issued to the protesters, they were detained at Malwani police station and later released. No arrests were made.
