MUMBAI: Amid BJP’s opposition to the alleged move of “naming” a renovated garden here after Tipu Sultan, Maharashtra Congress on Thursday claimed that even President Ram Nath Kovind had praised the 18th century Mysore ruler in the Karnataka Assembly in 2017.
The BJP had on Wednesday held protests, alleging that the renovated garden has been named after Tipu Sultan. It objected to the name, claiming that Sultan had persecuted Hindus and hence his name was unacceptable for a public facility. However, Maharashtra minister Aslam Shaikh who inaugurated new facilities at the garden in suburban Malvani, had said that it always bore the name of Tipu Sultan, and that there was no fresh nomenclature.
Countering BJP’s allegations, Maharashtra Congress general secretary Sachin Sawant said,“…It is BJP’s deformed politics to bring religion to portray historical figures and to spew venom of hatred and polarisation.” “Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, whose hologram was inaugurated by PM, had called Tipu as a martyr and his Mysore tiger was made part of his Azad Hind Sena’s flag as well as figured on its uniform,” Sawant said.
NCP chief spokesperson and state cabinet minister Nawab Malik said, “Tipu Sultan never surrendered before the British and he martyred in the battle against the invaders…”
All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) leader and party’s Lok Sabha member from Aurangabad, Imtiaz Jaleel, said the name of Tipu Sultan was being opposed as he was a Muslim.