Bengaluru: Politics around Tipu Sultan refuses to die down in Karnataka. But, it has taken a different route. Instead of uniting the Muslim leaders, the Islamic tyrant has divided them.
While the Congress leader Tanveer Sait promised to erect Tipu’s statue near Mysuru on the lines of the 108-ft statue of Nadaprabhu Kempegowda unveiled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Karnataka JDS President CM Ibrahim called it as Un-Islamic.
Ibrahim said there was no culture of setting up statues in Islam. “Is there any statue of a Muslim leader erected in India? We can have his name, but not his statue,” he said.
The JDS leader also had criticised Congress leader and former chief minister Siddaramaiah for starting Tipu Jayanti, which also is prohibited in Islam.
Ibrahim also said that he had warned of Tipu Jayanti having political repercussions without engaging those who would be affected by it.
Despite advising against Tipu Jayanti, Siddaramaiah continued to observe it, he said. “There is no statue culture in our religion,” he added.
In fact, the ruling Congress had lost the 2018 elections, but assumed power via backdoor by aligning with JDS, forcing BS Yediyurappa to resign from the chief minister’s post.
However, Ibrahim plans to set up a university after Tipu Sultan if JDS comes to power. “If JDS comes to power, we will build a university in the name of Tipu Sultan. We will build it in Mysuru or Kolar,” he told reporters here.
Ibrahim also said that legal action will be taken against a play “Tipu Nijakanavugal’ written by Rangayana director Addanda C Cariappa. He alleged that the play distorts history of Tipu.
On November 20, the play will be performed at Bhoomigeetham on the grounds of Rangayana.
