KOLKATA/BENGALURU: The descendants of Tipu Sultan today slammed Union minister Anantkumar Hegde for his alleged "derogatory" remarks against the 18th century Mysore ruler and are considering legal action against him.
Bakhtiar Ali, one of the sixth-generation descendants of Prince Mooniruddin, who was one of Tipu's sons, told PTI in Kolkata that the minister's comments were "baseless and shameful".
"Such derogatory remarks are unacceptable. He is making such cheap comments for his own political gains. We are consulting lawyers and will seek legal action against him. We might file defamation suit against him," Bakhtiar Ali said.
Asked whether they would write to Prime Minister Narendra Modi against Hedge, Ali said, "No, we have no such plans to write to the Prime Minister." The BJP minister, in a tweet on October 21, had conveyed to the Karnataka government not to invite him to the "shameful" event of Tipu Sultan Jayanti on November 10.
In Bengaluru, Sahabzada Mansoor Ali Tipu, who presents himself as a 7th generation descendant of Tipu Sultan, said he would seek necessary action for Hegde's "uncalled for" comments.
He said he would meet Karnataka Home Minister Ramalinga Reddy tomorrow in this regard.
"On behalf of the descendants of Tipu Sultan, I am lodging a complaint against Hegde for calling our forefather a mass rapist and brutal killer," he told PTI.
"Being a Union minister, he should not have made such irresponsible comments against a ruler who is revered as a hero in Karnataka. I seek an unconditional apology and necessary action against Hegde for his comments," said Mansoor Ali, a businessman.
Alleging that Hegde's comments could stoke "communal sentiments", he demanded that Prime Minister Narendra Modi drop him from his council of ministers.
"The tweets of Hegde are distasteful and hurt not only family sentiments, but also the sentiments of the country.
Modi should sack him as Union minister," he said.
In 2016, Hegde had flayed the state government for celebrating Tipu Jayanti despite opposition from some sections of the society living in coastal belts of Karnataka and Kodagu areas, claiming that the ruler was "against Kannada language and anti-Hindu".
Subsequently, Hegde was arrested for threatening to disrupt celebrations in Uttara Kannada district.
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