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Sangh Parivar questions Tipu's credentials

By Our Staff Correspondent

Mysore May 8. A controversy is brewing here between the Sangh Parivar members and their opponents who are slugging it out on the credentials of Tipu Sultan.

While the former, represented by the BJP-VHP-RSS, view Tipu Sultan as "a traitor and a religious fanatic" who forcibly converted thousands of local people to Islam, the others challenged them to a public debate. The issue took a new turn with the right-wing groups releasing a book in Kannada titled, "Tipu Nijaswaroopa", which is a litany of Tipu Sultan's alleged misdeeds perpetuated against his subjects.

The BJP leaders, including G.Madhusoodhan, MLC, started the controversy recently when they questioned the Government's decision to earmark funds for a research centre on Tipu Sultan at Srirangapatna.

The secular groups, led by the academic and rationalist, Ramdas, countered this by pointing out that Tipu was indeed secular. The secular groups urged the ancient maths in the old Mysore State, which were plundered by the marauding Maratha army but repaired and compensated by Tipu Sultan, to speak out and highlight the issue.

As a result, Prof. Ramdas received threatening calls, which were traced to a public telephone booth.

The timing of the controversy and the release of the book are significant as it comes during the 204th death anniversary of Tipu Sultan, which was observed on May 4.

During the launch of the book yesterday, the right-wing activists regretted that Tipu was being painted as a secular Indian and historians had ignored his misdeeds.

In response to the allegations, the Communal Harmony Forum in Mandya challenged the VHP-RSS group to a debate.

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