Tanveer Sait, former Minister and Congress MLA, has said that a 100-feet statue of Tipu Sultan will be built either in Mysuru or Srirangapatna after consulting secular individuals and organisations that admired the contributions of the erstwhile ruler of Mysuru.
Speaking to reporters in Mysuru, Mr. Sait said a decision had been taken to construct a statue in memory of Tipu Sultan to counter the efforts of the ruling BJP to “malign and distort’’ the history of the eighteenth century ruler for “political purposes’’.
Even though construction of statues is not permissible in Islam, the need for such a symbol has arisen in the present circumstances in which the BJP and the Sangh Parivar are carrying out a sustained campaign against the erstwhile ruler, who “started the freedom struggle.”
Mr. Sait said he will discuss the details of the project with not only Muslim religious leaders and politicians, but also with all individuals and organisations that hold the contributions of Tipu Sultan in high esteem. “We are not building a statue just because Tipu Sultan was a Muslim ruler or to indulge in personality worship. W want to spread his ideals and create awareness about his pro-people administration. It is like how we appreciate Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar for his contributions to Mysuru and the kingdom,’’ he said.
Referring to the reported threats by certain Hindutva elements to demolish the statue of Tipu Sultan, Mr. Sait said he believed in the Constitution of India. “As an Indian, I also have as much right as anybody else,’’ he said.
