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Congress MLA alleges life threat over plan to set up Tipu Sultan statue
Former minister and Congress MLA Tanveer Sait lodged a police complaint alleging that he has received a life threat for announcing installation of a statue of Tipu Sultan, police said on Friday.
Former minister and Congress MLA Tanveer Sait lodged a police complaint alleging that he has received a life threat for announcing installation of a statue of Tipu Sultan, police said on Friday.
The complaint has been filed with Udayagiri police against Raghu Sakaleshpura of Bajrang Dal from Hassan district. A police official confirmed the filing of the complaint, which comes after a video clip of the Bajrang Dal activist issuing a life threat to Sait went viral on social media. .
Sait, who represents the Narasimharaja constituency, had promised a 100-foot-tall statue of Tipu Sultan on Thursday and said it would stand as a symbol of the “true history”, which has been “distorted” by the ruling BJP in the state.
In the video, Raghu says: “I am issuing a warning to Tanveer Sait over his statement of installing the statue of Tipu Sultan. We will not allow the installation of even a one-foot-tall statue of Tipu Sultan. If that happens, it will be your final yatra (’anthima yatra’)”.
Sait slammed the ruling BJP and Hindu outfits for attempting to malign and distort the 18th-century ruler Tipu Sultan for political gains and announced the building of a statue of Tipu.
“Though construction of statues is not allowed according to Islam, the need for such a symbol is required in the present situation where BJP and Sangh Parivar are carrying out continuous propaganda to defame the ruler who fought British and martyred for the country,” Sait said.
The Congress slammed the state’s home department and questioned the safety of their representatives. “Earlier a BJP goon had threatened to shoot @PriyankKharge, today another has threatened MLA Tanveer Sait’s life. If these people can give out death threats to our representatives and roam around freely, doesn’t it mean that the Home department is dead, @JnanendraAraga?” the Karnataka Congress tweeted.
“@BSBommai, is Karnataka ruled by you or goons? @JnanendraAraga, are you still the Minister of Home Affairs yourself or have you handed over the position to criminals? Can the common people expect protection if the government is nurturing those who threaten the lives of the people’s representatives?” they added in a second tweet.
