Objecting to Jnanpith awardee Girish Karnad drawing parallels between Tipu Sultan and Chhatrapati Shivaji, Shiv Sena MP Arvind Sawant said on Thursday that the 18th century ruler of the erstwhile Mysore kingdom was a “ruthless ruler” and was quite unlike the Maratha warrior, and accused the Congress Government in Karnataka of practising “divisive policy”.
Taking strong exception to Karnad’s statement that had been a Hindu instead of a Muslim, Tipu would have attained the same position as that of Shivaji, Sawant asked: “How can Tipu be compared with Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj who did no wrong, never outraged the modesty of women or defiled religious places. Shivaji was a judicious leader, while Tipu Sultan was not”.
“Tipu Sultan was a ruthless ruler who massacred Hindus and did not believe in the existence of any other religion except Islam. He had demolished temples and churches. How can anyone describe Tipu as a good rulerIJ” Sawant wondered.
“Shivaji had compassion for the poor and the sons of the soil irrespective of their caste, creed, religion. All these qualities were not there in Tipu,” Sawant said.
Reacting to developments in Karnataka over the birth anniversary celebrations of Tipu Sultan, the Sena leader said: “How come the Karnataka Government has chosen to commemorate the birth anniversary of Tipu Sultan all of a sudden and that too 68 years after the country’s IndependenceIJ. The successive Governments in Karnataka are known for their sultani (dictatorial) style of functioning. look at the way they treat the Marathi people who are fighting in a democratic way for the last sixty years (over the border issue). So, naturally, they will adore the Sultan”.
In his reaction to ongoing protests by the BJP and VHP workers against the decision by the Siddaramaiah-led Congress Government in Karnataka to celebrate the birth anniversary Tipu Sultan, Karnad had said in Bengaluru early this week: “I feel that if Tipu Sultan was a Hindu and not Muslim he would have attained the position in Karnataka that Shivaji Maharaj enjoys in Maharashtra”.
Attributing the denial of Shivaji-like status to Tipu to the religious prejudices, Karnad had said: “Because what has happened is today our scholars and politicians look at one’s religion and caste first.... Injustice has happened to Tipu Sultan because of this type of evaluation...”.