Days after MLA for Madikeri Appachu Ranjan demanded that lessons on Mysuru king Tipu Sultan be removed from school syllabus, Arun Shahapur, BJP MLC, has said that historical events and people should not be expunged from textbooks.
Stating that every generation must learn about its history, he asserted that kings such as Tipu Sultan should neither be glorified nor shown in poor light. “Existence of Tipu cannot be denied and changed as it will remain a fact. Textbooks should carry details of his life and contribution like those of any other ruler, without twisting the facts,” he said. When asked at a press conference on Friday if he would attend Tipu Sultan Jayanti programme if invited, Mr. Shahapur chose to say that Islam was against birthday celebrations. He later said politicians could attend any event so long it does not become controversial.
