Nagpur, February 14 Maharashtra Congress chief Harshwardhan Sapkal has stirred controversy by suggesting equivalence between Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and 18th-century Mysuru ruler Tipu Sultan, triggering condemnation from Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.
A BJP functionary in Pune also filed a police complaint against Sapkal over the issue, seeking an FIR under Sections 192 (wantonly inciting riot with intent to cause a riot) and 196 (promoting enmity, hatred, or dis harmony between different groups on grounds of religion, race, language, or caste) of the Indian Penal Code.
Tipu Sultan remains a polarizing figure in history, with some invoking his bravery in the battles against the British, while others have pointed to his religious bigotry and mistreatment of non-Muslims.
Sapkal was speaking to reporters in Buldhana regarding the controversy over the portrait of Tipu Sultan in the office of Malegaon Municipal Corporation deputy mayor Shan-e-Hind Nihal Ahmed, which was opposed by Shiv Sena corporators and Hindu organizations there.
While highlighting the valour of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and the way he presented the idea of 'Swarajya', Sapkal gave the example of Tipu Sultan's call to battle against the British and claimed this was an ideal articulated on similar lines.
"In that sense, Tipu Sultan emerged as a warrior and a son of the soil of Bharat. He never embraced poisonous ideologies. Instead, as a symbol of valour, we should regard Tipu Sultan on par (samakaksh is the word Sapkal used) with Shivaji Maharaj," the Congress leader said.
Hitting out at Sapkal, Fadnavis said the comparison was condemnable and asserted that the Congress leader must feel ashamed of himself.
"Maharashtra will not tolerate this. Sapkal should apologize for comparing Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj with Tipu Sultan. The Congress should take cognisance of this matter, and its allies must clarify their stand on Sapkal's statement," Fadnavis told reporters in Nagpur.
Later, in a post on X, Sapkal said the valour of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj is unparalleled, while Tipu Sultan was valiant and a lover of Swarajya.
"It was by taking Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj as an ideal that he (Tipu Sultan) fought against the British," Sapkal said in the post.
He further criticized those following the ideology of the Sangh-BJP, claiming they were slaves and spies of the British when Tipu Sultan was fighting the foreign rulers.
"Therefore, Devendra Fadnavis should not attempt to teach us history. The people of Maharashtra have not forgotten what all BJP-RSS, (former governor) Bhagatsingh Koshyari along with others spewed against Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and disrespected him," Sapkal said.
Posting an image, the Maharashtra Congress chief said, "These are the pictures of both Shivaji Maharaj and Tipu Sultan on the original copy of the Constitution."
Meanwhile, senior Maharashtra Congress spokesperson Atul Londhe also lashed out at Fadnavis.
In a statement, Londhe said the BJP was attempting to create controversy by focusing on the word "equivalent" used in Sapkal's comment on Tipu Sultan, and termed it a "desperate attempt" to stir communal tensions.
The ruling BJP was avoiding discussion on key issues such as unemployment, rising prices, farmer suicides, and increasing electricity tariffs in the state, he claimed.
"The Congress strongly condemns the attempt by the BJP leadership to divert public attention from governance-related issues by fuelling religious polarisation," Londhe added.
