Karnataka CM: 'Govt to drop everything related to Tipu Sultan'

The Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa on Tuesday said that the government will drop everything related to Tipu Sultan and Tipu Jayanti. Yediyurappa also mentioned the government is also thinking to remove everything related to Tipu Sultan in the textbooks.

Earlier, Karnataka Education Minister Suresh Kumar on Monday asked the officials to look into the demand of a BJP MLA that the lesson on Tipu Sultan, the controversial 18th-century ruler of erstwhile Mysore Kingdom be removed from history textbooks, and submit a report in three days. The Primary and Secondary Education Minister has written a note to the Managing Director of Karnataka Textbook Society, asking them to invite MLA Appachu Ranjan and discuss the matter. 

READ | BJP MLA Wants Tipu Removed From Textbooks, JDS Says 'narrow Ideology'

Ranjan's request to remove Tipu Sultan's lesson

Ranjan had last week written to the minister demanding that the lesson on Tipu Sultan be removed. Speaking to the reporters, Ranjan had alleged that Tipu had converted thousands of Christians and Kodavas to Islam forcibly and that he had run his administration in the Persian language, and was not a freedom fighter.

Quoting Ranjan, Kumar in the note says, "The MLA has said that state government in Middle school history textbook has a lesson about Tipu Sultan. Without knowing completely about this history, it has been inserted as a lesson, so the contents of the lesson are not true. He has been just glorified and projected."

READ | Education Minister Seeks Report On Demand To Remove Tipu Lesson

BJP cancels Tipu Jayanti

Earlier in July, taking its first decision after assuming power in Karnataka, the BJP government under BS Yediyuruppa has cancelled the Tipu Jayanti celebrated on the occasion of the birthday of Tipu Sultan on November 10 every year. The State Government's Kannada and Culture Department has taken the decision in the cabinet meeting held on Monday to not celebrate Tipu Jayanti.

The Tipu Jayanti celebrations have been a bone of contention between the Congres and the BJP, with the JD(S) initially opposing the celebration when it was in opposition. However, amid protests from the BJP and right-wing organisations last year, HD Kumaraswamy, who was then the CM, skipped Tipu Jayanti even as JD(S) alliance partner in the State while Congress celebrated it.

READ | BJP Govt In Karnataka Cancels Tipu Jayanti Celebrations After Assuming Power

READ | Congress Politicises Imran Khan Remembering Tipu Sultan On His Death Anniversary, Praises Pak PM And Says It's 'disappointed That It Took A Pakistani Leader To Remember A Great Indian Hero'