Mumbai: Waris Pathan on Saturday, February 14, strongly criticised the protest that erupted over a portrait of Tipu Sultan in Deputy Mayor Shaan-e-Hind Nihal Ahmed’s office in Malegaon. A portrait of 18th-century Mysuru ruler Tipu Sultan in the office of Shan-e-Hind Nihal Ahmed stirred huge controversy among leaders of the BJP and Shiv Sena, who held protests, slammed it, and sought its removal.
While speaking to IANS, Pathan slammed the parties and said that Tipu Sultan fought a war against the British, asking, "What is the issue with him?" "His (Tipu Sultan's) photo is in the Constitution, from 1950. You and I weren't even born then," he added.
"He did not work for the British - he fought a war against them," Pathan added.
The AIMIM leader further asked, "Why do they hate such a great figure? I fail to understand this..."
Tipu Sultan remains a polarising figure of history, with one segment invoking his bravery in battle against the British, while others have pointed to his bigotry and ill-treatment of Hindus in several parts of south India.
The BJP slammed the deputy mayor in a social media post, alleging that the display of Tipu Sultan’s image while omitting portraits of national leaders, including Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Mahatma Gandhi, Babasaheb Ambedkar, was an 'insult to the real heroes'. Taking to his official handle on X, BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla wrote, "Constitution gave you the opportunity of becoming Deputy Mayor... its architect was Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar. But she has no respect for Sanvidha," adding that "This is what happens when you put Votebank first, not Sanvidan first."
Protesting Shiv Sena corporators under group leader Nilesh Aher, who have petitioned the municipal commissioner on the issue, and Ahmed engaged in a war of words, with the latter angrily telling them she would not remove the portrait.
Malegaon Deputy Mayor On the Controversy
The Deputy Mayor said that the portrait was gifted to her by the corporators. "I don't have any objection to it. Tipu Sultan was a freedom fighter who battled the British. Even the government has mentioned this in an affidavit after some people approached the courts seeking a ban on celebrating Tipu Sultan's birthday."
