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BJP using Tipu Sultan to shift attention from Epstein links: Maharashtra Congress chief Sapkal amid row over remarks
Sapkal also alleged that CM Devendra Fadnavis is slamming him for remarks on Tipu Sultan, but kept quiet when he was compared to Mughal emperor Aurangzeb.
Amid the ongoing row over his remarks on Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and Tipu Sultan, Maharashtra Congress chief Harshwardhan Sapkal claimed that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is criticising his statements to divert attention from basic issues and the contents of the Epstein files.
The state Congress chief drew massive fire from the BJP for equating Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and the 18th-century Mysuru ruler Tipu Sultan on account of their bravery.
Sapkal on Sunday said he has already clarified his earlier statement, alleging that the BJP wants to play mischief.
"The BJP is spewing venom in connection with my statement. I want to humbly and with equal pride tell them in clear words here that they do not need to teach us about Shivaji Maharaj," he was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.
He hailed Shivaji Maharaj, calling him the "founder of Hindavi Swarajya, the pride, honour, and glory of Maharashtra and our Congress".
"His valour is unparalleled and due to his valour, Hindavi Swarajya was established, and the inspiration of that Swarajya directly reaches our Constitution," Sapkal added.
He further alleged that chief minister Devendra Fadnavis is slamming him for remarks on Tipu Sultan, but kept quiet when he was compared to Mughal emperor Aurangzeb.
ALSO READ | Violence erupts outside Congress Bhavan in Pune over Sapkal remark on Tipu Sultan
"The meaning of all this is clear. They (BJP) want to divert attention from basic issues of Maharashtra and from the Epstein files, in which a lot is hidden. Bringing caste and religion into every matter is the BJP's old tactic. They are using my responsible statement and giving it a Hindu-Muslim angle," the state Congress chief charged.
Stating that the BJP was burning Tipu Sultan's effigy across the state in its protests, Sapkal questioned whether the party would also burn the effigy of VD Savarkar and former governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari for what he described as distorted remarks against Chhatrapati Shivaji.
What did Sapkal say?
During a media interaction in Wardha, Sapkal was asked about a debate over the display of a portrait of Tipu Sultan in Malegaon. In response, he stated that the Mysuru ruler should be viewed as a symbol of bravery, drawing a comparison. He said that Tipu had actually followed Shivaji's ideals.
"The kind of bravery that Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj possessed and the concept of 'swarajya' (self-rule) that he introduced... much later, following in that very tradition and taking inspiration from his ideals, Tipu Sultan waged war against the British," Sapkal had said.
"In that sense, Tipu Sultan was a great warrior who displayed immense bravery and was a true son of India. He never allowed any poisonous or communal ideas to sway him. As a symbol of bravery, we should view Tipu Sultan as equivalent to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj," he had added.
Sapkal's remarks draw BJP fire, spark protests
Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis slammed Sapkal for his remarks equating Tipu Sultan and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, stating that the comparison was condemnable.
Fadnavis said that Sapkal must feel ashamed of himself, asserting that Maharashtra "will not tolerate" such remarks.
"Sapkal should apologise for comparing Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj with Tipu Sultan. The Congress should take cognisance of this matter, and its allies must clear their stand on Sapkal's statement," the CM told reporters in Nagpur.
ALSO READ | FIR against Maharashtra Congress chief over remarks on Chhatrapati Shivaji
BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawala also condemned Sapkal's remarks, accusing the Congress of stooping to the "lowest level in vote bank politics" for comparing Chhatrapati Shivaji with Tipu Sultan.
While calling for the Maharashtra Congress chief to apologise for his remarks, Poonwala also demanded that Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi remove him from the party with immediate effect. "If they do not do so, the people of Maharashtra will never forgive Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi," he added.
Sapkal's remarks did not just stir a political controversy but also triggered violent protests near the Congress Bhavan in Pune. BJP workers confronted Congress workers while protesting against Sapkal's statements, with the Opposition alleging stone pelting during the demonstrations.
In this violent agitation, two Congress workers were injured, with one of them suffering a serious head injury. A police personnel was also wounded during the stone pelting. Additionally, several vehicles parked near the Bhavan were also damaged.
An FIR has also been registered against Sapkal at Parvati police station based on a complaint filed by the BJP's Pune city unit president. The case has been filed under sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, pertaining to provocation, promoting enmity, insulting religious sentiments with intent to breach peace, and defamation.
