Is Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah playing vote bank politics by announcing his plans to celebrate ‘Tipu Jayanti’?
Siddaramaiah announced recently that “there has been pressure from various quarters” to celebrate the birth anniversary of the 18th century Mysuru ruler. “We have decided to take this into consideration and will announce the date shortly,” the chief minister was quoted as saying by a new agency.
Reacting to the chief minister’s announcement, BJP leader Suresh Kumar is reported to have said that Tipu cannot be considered as a person whose birthday should be celebrated by the government, claiming that the erstwhile Mysuru ruler had committed barbaric acts against people, including Kodavas in Kodagu district.
EDITORIAL: This news portal is of the view that the question of whether Tipu was a freedom fighter or a religious bigot should be left to the historians.
The chief minister should concentrate his energies on improving the law and order in the state, instead of giving scope for divisive elements in the Sangh parivar to polarise the society. There is a feeling that the Congress government has failed on the law and order front. The chief minister should focus his energies on tackling the increasing cases of rape of women and children in Karnataka, especially in Bengaluru.
Via
http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-move-to-celebrate-tipu-sultan-s-birth-anniversary-stirs-a-controversy-2046991
Tipu single-handedly cleansed the Malabar region, ethnically, of Nairs and filled it with Moplahs (Kakas). He committed terrible atrocities wherever he went. He was even cowardly in the way he expressed his desire to surrender to the Kodavas and when they came in good faith (without weapons) he had them surrounded by his armed soldiers. It was only at the end of his rule, when he had no support and when the armies of the British, Coorgs and Marathas were soon going to be at his gate, that he showed some concern for some temples and mutts. Till then he ran a kingdom of terror even in Mysore?Mandya, where people fled to nearby Tamil Nadu and still remain there. His father Hyder broke the trust of the Wodeyar Rajas and took over the kingdom, by deceit and force. Only deeply vested interests can celebrate this king.
In your Editorial you have mentioned that “Tippu was a freedom fighter or religious bigot should be left to the Historians”. The Historians have different opinion about Tippu and we cannot get a definite conclusion. Therefore, it is of no use to refer this subject to Historians.