It’s Tipu vs Savarkar in K’taka elections: State BJP president

The statement comes a month after the Lok Sabha MP stirred up a controversy by asking the BJP cadre in Mangaluru to focus on “love jihad” in the state elections, rather than “minor issues like road and sewage”. Recently, Union home minister Amit Shah, too, said that the Karnataka elections would be a choice between Prime Minister Narendra Modi “who built temple” and those “who glorify Tipu Sultan”.

The upcoming Karnataka assembly elections will be a fight between the ideologies of Vinayak Damodar Savarkar and Tipu Sultan, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)’s state unit president Nalin Kumar Kateel said on Thursday, sparking a fresh row ahead of elections later this year.

Karnataka BJP chief Nalin Kumar Kateel said assembly elections will be a fight between the ideologies of Savarkar and Tipu Sultan (PTI)

The statement comes a month after the Lok Sabha MP stirred up a controversy by asking the BJP cadre in Mangaluru to focus on “love jihad” in the state elections, rather than “minor issues like road and sewage”. Recently, Union home minister Amit Shah, too, said that the Karnataka elections would be a choice between Prime Minister Narendra Modi “who built temple” and those “who glorify Tipu Sultan”.

Addressing a public gathering in Shivamogga, the Lok Sabha MP blamed the Opposition Congress for allowing Tipu Jayanthi celebrations in the state, calling them unnecessary. “This time, the State Assembly elections will not be fought between Congress and BJP, but between the ideologies of Savarkar and Tipu.”

Kateel also challenged former chief minister Siddaramaiah to hold a debate on who is important for the state. “They are allowed to celebrate Tipu Jayanti which is not required in this state. They also spoke disgracefully about Savarkar. I challenge Siddaramaiah to hold a debate. Let’s discuss and find out if this country requires a patriot like Savarkar or Tipu,” he added.

This is not the first time that the Karnataka BJP chief has stoked a controversy. On January 3, while addressing party workers as part of ‘Booth Vijaya Abhiayana’ in Mangaluru, Kateel said: “Do not discuss small issues like roads and sewage...If you’re worried about your children’s future, and if you want to stop love jihad, then we need BJP. To get rid of love jihad, we need BJP.”

“Love jihad” is a term used by right-wing organisations to define interfaith relationships between Muslim men and Hindu women.

Reacting to the statement, Congress MLA Rizwan Arshad said that the ruling BJP is bringing up Savarkar to deflect attention from the fact that it has achieved nothing over the past four years. “First of all, Tipu was someone who sacrificed his life for the freedom of the nation. Who was Savarkar? He was living on a pension from the British, wrote mercy letters to them and served as their ally. More importantly, the BJP wants the conversation to be about Savarkar because they have nothing to show from their four years of governance,” the Shivajinagar MLA said.

Actor and activist Chetan Kumar said: “BJP MP Kateel says election is b/ween Tipu & Savarkar. Such a contrived binary benefits hegemonic force. Tipu—most consequential Kannadiga of 300 yrs—is not infallible. Savarkar—founder of divisive ideology that is ruling nation—is not all bad .We must deconstruct such binaries.”

The upcoming polls are expected to be a bitter contest between the ruling BJP and the Congress that is banking on the recently concluded Bharat Jodo Yatra to swing the outcome in its favour. The party has also declared that it will contest the elections alone, ending talk of an arrangement with the Janata Dal (Secular).

The BJP earlier ruled the state between 2013 and 2018, and emerged as the single largest party in the 2018 assembly elections. However, an alliance of the Congress and the Janata Dal (Secular) formed the government. A year later, the party managed to return to power in the state after 18 legislators in the Congress-JD(S) government either resigned or defected. In July, 2021, the party replaced strongman BS Yediyurappa with BS Bommai as chief minister to blunt anti-incumbency.