This refers to the article, “Understanding Tipu Sultan in context” (November 16) by Deepak Sinha. The controversy regarding Tipu Sultan is not a new one, and certainly not a creation of the present Government at the Centre. It is at least 40 or more years old and many different opinions are available in this regard.
While no one is denying that Tipu Sultan fought against the British, this cannot be equated with the first War of Independence. The guiding purpose was different. Tipu was fighting for himself, whereas the 1857 war was the beginning of a mass movement which matured in 1947. Moreover, Tipu's atrocities cannot be justified simply because he fought against the British. Even if all the historians' descriptions against Tipu Sultan were considered biased and willfully dividing Hindus and Muslims, what about the letters written by Tipu himself, boasting of his achievements and plans against the HindusIJ