E-Paper
In Karnataka, Himanta Sarma again rakes up Tipu Sultan issue: ‘What about 80,000 Kodavas?’
Himanta Biswa Sarma raked up Tipu Sultan issue and asked if the erstwhile ruler of Mysore was a “freedom fighter”, what about the “80,000 Kodavas”.
Assam chief Himanta Biswa Sarma once again raked up the Tipu Sultan issue on Sunday, ahead of the Karnataka assembly election, and asked if the erstwhile ruler of Mysore was a “freedom fighter”, what about the “80,000 Kodavas” who died “for their homeland”.
Hitting out at the Left's narratives, Sarma said the “New India” needs a history that recognises the sacrifices made by “our heroes to protect their land and dharma”.
“If we were to even examine the argument that #TipuSultan is a freedom fighter solely because he fought against the British to defend his own kingdom, what about the 80,000 Kodavas who bravely sacrificed their lives for their homeland and to safeguard our culture and Dharma ? Enough of history written by the left. New India needs a history that recognizes the sacrifices made by our heroes to protect their land and dharma,” the Assam chief minister chief minister tweeted.
The debate around Tipu Sultan, the erstwhile 18th-century ruler of Mysore, has taken centrestage in the political corridors of Karnataka. The Bharatiya Janata Party has that the upcoming election will not be fought between the BJP and Congress but between VD Savarkar and Tipu Sultan.
On Saturday, Sarma had targeted the Congress during campaigning in poll-bound Karnataka and dubbed its leaders Siddaramaiah and DK Shivakumar as “family members” of Tipu Sultan.
"Siddaramaiah and DK Shivakumar are family members of Tipu Sultan," Sarma at an election rally in Virajpet assembly of Kodagu district.
"I came from Assam and in Assam 17 times Mughals attacked us but Mughals could not defeat us, we remain undefeated. Today, I bow to this holy land because the Kodagu people also defeated Tipu Sultan many times," he added.
The BJP leader also said if Siddaramaiah intended to celebrate the Tipu Sultan Jayanti, he should do so in Pakistan.
"80,000 people sacrificed their lives. And today, Siddaramaiah is saying that they will celebrate Tipu Sultan Jayanti. If you want to celebrate Tipu Sultan Jayanti go and celebrate it in Pakistan and Bangladesh. But you don't have any right to do it in India", Sarma added.
"If the Congress will come then slowly Karnataka will also become PFI valley," he alleged.
The Congress, in its manifesto, has promised to ban Bajrang Dal in Karnataka if the party comes to power, on the lines of the Popular Front of India, a move which has triggered massive political controversy.
