BENGALURU: A controversy over Tipu Sultan broke out in the BJP after former JDS president and now BJP MLC H Vishwanath’s stated that ‘’Tipu Sultan, son of the soil, had fought against British for freedom...’’ The BJP, squirming in discomfort, dismissed it as Vishwanath’s personal opinion, while party president Nalin Kumar Kateel, celebrating his first anniversary in the post, said he would seek an explanation from Vishwanath.
BJP official spokesman and former MLC Capt Ganesh Karnik said Vishwanath’s remarks are his personal view and the party distances itself from them. “The BJP is of the unanimous and considered view that Tipu Sultan is a fanatic bigot and his rule was tyrannical... Tipu Sultan was zealous in converting people and was against Kannada. BJP cannot and will not accept Tipu Sultan as a noble ruler,” he said.
Vishwanath had said, “Tipu sounded the bugle for the country’s freedom, similarly Sangolli Rayanna of Kittur.’’ MP Shobha Karandlaje said, “Tipu was an opponent of Hinduism and of Karnataka, we don’t need to discuss him... Vishwanath came from another party, we have respect for him. Tipu Sultan cannot be compared with freedom fighter Sangolli Rayanna.’’