Tipu's followers must be killed; descendants chased out: BJP

Bengaluru: The followers of 18th Century Indian ruler Tipu Sultan must be killed, Karnataka BJP chief Nalin Kumar Kateel hollered, adding that Tipu's descendants must be chased out and sent to forests, NDTV reported.

He had made similar inflammatory comments before. Earlier in February, he had said that the upcoming election in the state is between Tipu and Savarkar. He had said that Congress allowed the celebration of Tipu Jayanti while speaking "disgracefully" of Savarkar.

In his recent statement, he told a crowd of BJP supporters that they are devotees of Lords Rama and Hanuman and pay obeisance to them. They are not Tipu's descendants.

"Let's send Tipu's descendants back home," NDTV quoted the leader.

He said that if the crowd offered their prayers to Lord Hanuman and not Tipu, they would send ardent followers of Tipu to forests.

"Think about it. Do you think this state requires Lord Hanuman devotees or descendants of Tipu? I am issuing a challenge -- those who are ardent followers of Tipu should not remain alive on this fertile soil," NDTV quoted.

For years, the Tipu Sultan was used to polarise people on the basis of religion in Karnataka. But the discourse of "Tipu versus Hanuman" was started by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath during the 2018 election campaign in the state.

Yogi Adityanath said then that Karnataka was "the land of Hanuman" and was ruled by the Vijayanagara Empire. Aiming an attack at Congress, he said Congress worships Tipu Sultan instead of Hanuman and Vijayanagar. If Congress was removed from the state, no one would worship Tipu, Adityanath had said.

The right-wing Hindutva faction spread their discourse that Tipu Sultan was a bigoted tyrant, claiming that he had forcefully converted many Hindus. The erstwhile Siddaramaiah government had celebrated Tipu's birthday twice and viewed him as one of the earliest freedom fighters in India.

In Karnataka, assembly elections are scheduled for April-May.